Incident Overview
A dual instructional flight, conducted in preparation for a student pilot's private certificate flight test, ended prematurely when the aircraft exhausted its usable fuel during the fourth approach to landing. The instructor pilot had failed to confirm that adequate fuel was onboard before the flight, even though the fuel gauges were indicating nearly empty. Despite this, the instructor permitted the student to continue flying traffic patterns.
Sequence of Events
The student pilot was flying the traffic pattern under the supervision of the instructor. After completing three approaches, the aircraft began its fourth approach. During this approach, the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The instructor pilot then took control and attempted to glide the aircraft toward the airport. However, the aircraft was unable to reach the runway and collided with a tree approximately 500 feet short of the runway threshold.
Contributing Factors
The accident investigation determined that the instructor pilot's failure to ensure adequate fuel was onboard before the flight was a direct factor in the event. The instructor had not checked the fuel quantity despite the gauges showing a low reading, and continued the flight without addressing the fuel state.