Flight Details
The student pilot, enrolled in an FAA-approved Part 141 school, planned a solo cross-country flight departing at 1415 PDT. The actual departure occurred at 1505. The intended route was a round-robin trip of 3.3 hours, visiting Laughlin, Parker, Blythe, Palm Springs, and returning to Big Bear City.
After landing at Palm Springs at 1927, the pilot purchased 10 gallons of fuel for the 32-mile return leg. Takeoff from Palm Springs was at 1950. During the return flight, ambient light conditions transitioned to darkness.
Incident Sequence
The pilot, who had no night flying experience, was unable to activate the cabin lights or communicate via radio. The flight continued westbound for approximately 100 miles over 2.5 hours, at which point all fuel was exhausted. The pilot executed an emergency landing on a street, where the airplane struck an automobile head-on. The automobile driver received minor injuries, and the passenger sustained serious injuries.
Training Records Review
A review of the student's training records revealed that the certified flight instructor (CFI) had not adhered to the required FAA-approved syllabus. Specifically, the CFI omitted the required instruction between the second and third phase checks and failed to ensure the student had completed the requisite nighttime flight training before authorizing the solo cross-country flight.