What happened
A student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country flight in an aircraft that had been operated with insufficient fuel levels. Prior to the flight, the pilot was informed that the aircraft had been flown for 1.5 hours since its last refueling. However, subsequent investigation determined that the aircraft had actually been flown for 2.5 hours before the student pilot received it for his mission.
The pilot flew the aircraft for one hour and fifty minutes before the engine stopped producing power due to fuel exhaustion. At the time of the engine failure, the pilot was attempting to return to his departure airport because he had been unable to locate his intended destination due to flooded ground conditions and a faulty radio.
Following the loss of power, the pilot performed a forced landing on a road. During the landing sequence, the aircraft ran off the side of the road, entered a ditch, and subsequently struck a utility pole. The pilot was not injured in the accident.