Bl-17 pilot reported engine failure on first flight after purchase resulting in a forced landing.

Attributes
ACN	1737523
Time
Date	202003
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Viking/Turbo-Viking 17-30/31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Descent
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	None
Component
Aircraft Component	Engine
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 4 Flight Crew Total 4500 Flight Crew Type 4
Person 2
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Multiengine
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown

Narrative:

Made purchase of bellanca super king. Aircraft had an annual completed by mechanic. Was told the aircraft had only flown [X] hours in last [Y] years but aircraft airworthy and given log books. Mechanic advised he had installed a fuel metering unit and lubed cables with his own experimental equipment.filled up all fuel tanks and departed ZZZ; VFR. Reached cruising altitude of 7500FT and leaned engine 50 peak egt. While enroute ATC advised transponder intermentent. Started descent into ZZZ1. Throttle quadrant stiff and difficult to set. Engine then quit; recycled tanks and attempted restart. Engine then burst of power wtihout any movement of the throttle; then cut off. Initiated landing in muddy field. Aircraft suffered nose gear collapse. No injuries. Lesson LEARNED1. Pre buy inspection warranted dispite information presented by mechanic and owner.2. Manufacturer check out.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BL-17 Pilot reported engine failure on first flight after purchase resulting in a forced landing.

Narrative: MADE PURCHASE OF BELLANCA SUPER KING. AIRCRAFT HAD AN ANNUAL COMPLETED BY MECHANIC. WAS TOLD THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY FLOWN [X] HRS IN LAST [Y] YEARS BUT AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHY AND GIVEN LOG BOOKS. MECHANIC ADVISED HE HAD INSTALLED A FUEL METERING UNIT AND LUBED CABLES WITH HIS OWN EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT.FILLED UP ALL FUEL TANKS AND DEPARTED ZZZ; VFR. REACHED CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 7500FT AND LEANED ENGINE 50 PEAK EGT. WHILE ENROUTE ATC ADVISED TRANSPONDER INTERMENTENT. STARTED DESCENT INTO ZZZ1. THROTTLE QUADRANT STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO SET. ENGINE THEN QUIT; RECYCLED TANKS AND ATTEMPTED RESTART. ENGINE THEN BURST OF POWER WTIHOUT ANY MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE; THEN CUT OFF. INITIATED LANDING IN MUDDY FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUFFERED NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. NO INJURIES. LESSON LEARNED1. PRE BUY INSPECTION WARRANTED DISPITE INFORMATION PRESENTED BY MECHANIC AND OWNER.2. MANUFACTURER CHECK OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.