Incident Overview
A student pilot was completing a solo cross-country flight when the engine stopped during cruise. The pilot selected a suitable field and performed a forced landing. During the landing roll, the nose gear sank into the soft terrain, causing the aircraft to nose over and come to rest inverted.
Findings
Following the accident, no evidence of a fuel spill was found, and the fuel tanks were empty. The aircraft owner reported that one fuel cap had been installed improperly. The owner believes that this improper installation allowed fuel to siphon out during the flight, leading to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent engine failure.
No other factors were reported. The aircraft sustained damage from the forced landing and the subsequent nose-over.