Incident Overview
A student pilot reported that the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power while cruising at an altitude of 3,000 feet. The pilot selected a field and executed an emergency landing. During the landing roll, the aircraft passed through a barbed wire fence, struck a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest in an inverted position.
Fuel Consumption and Planning
The aircraft had flown for a total of 5.2 hours since its last refueling. The normal flight time for a Cessna 152 equipped with long-range fuel tanks was approximately 5.5 hours. The student pilot had planned for a fuel consumption rate of 4.8 gallons per hour, but the actual consumption rate was found to be about 7 gallons per hour.
Post-Crash Examination
A post-crash examination of the aircraft revealed that some fuel had leaked from the lower corner of the right fuel tank and from the fuel quantity sending unit located at the top of the tank. However, the amount of fuel leakage was not determined.