What happened
The pilot was operating the final leg of a 233-mile cross-country flight sequence involving Stillwater, Clinton, and Guthrie, Oklahoma, when the engine lost power. During the subsequent forced landing, the Cessna 152 overturned. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft following the accident. No fuel stains were observed beneath the airplane at the scene. Maintenance and flight records indicated that the aircraft had been flown for 1.2 hours prior to the student pilot's 3.1-hour flight.
The aircraft was equipped with standard fuel tanks providing 25.5 gallons of usable fuel. Based on the Cessna 152 Pilot's Operating Handbook, at a pressure altitude of 4000 feet MSL and an outside air temperature 20 degrees above standard, using 70% engine power results in a true airspeed of 102 KIAS and an average fuel consumption of 5.7 gallons per hour.