Incident Details
At approximately 1700 hours, an instructor pilot and a passenger (a student pilot) departed from North Richland Hills, Texas. The instructor flew to a recreational area and landed in an open nearby field. For about 1.5 hours, he gave airplane rides to various persons, then parked the aircraft. By this time, the aircraft was low on fuel.
Unauthorized Flight
According to reports, the student pilot elected to fly to an airport to purchase more fuel, as other individuals wanted rides. The instructor stated that the student took the aircraft without permission. The student flew to Meachum Field in Fort Worth, Texas, and purchased 10 gallons of fuel. He then returned and flew over the recreational area at dusk.
Collision
Shortly thereafter, at about 2010 local time, the plane collided with rising terrain near the recreational area and the open field that had been used for earlier landings. It was not determined whether the student was attempting to land or simply flying low.
Post-Incident Findings
A toxicological check revealed that the student's blood alcohol level was 0.13%. Additionally, the pilot's seat belt was not buckled.