Incident Details
A student pilot departed on a solo cross-country flight and became lost en route. After arriving at the planned destination, the pilot did not purchase fuel. The pilot then departed and flew back to the home airport. While on final approach to the home airport, the engine sputtered and quit. During the subsequent forced landing in a field, the aircraft nosed over.
Flight History and Pilot Actions
The student pilot stated that he did not lean the fuel mixture for any portion of the flight. The aircraft's hobbsmeter indicated that it had flown 3.6 hours since departure.
Post-Accident Findings
After the accident, no usable fuel was found in the aircraft. Investigators found no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft during flight or at the crash site.