What happened
The student pilot initiated the flight carrying 13 gallons of fuel. During the operation, the aircraft remained in the traffic pattern for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes. The pilot then transitioned to the left base leg, preparing for a full-stop landing on runway 09. At this stage, the engine began to lose power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot executed a forced landing west of the airfield, which resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that there was no fuel remaining in the fuel tanks.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was fuel exhaustion. The pilot failed to ensure adequate fuel reserves for the planned flight, leading to engine power loss during the approach phase.