Incident Overview
During an instructional instrument cross-country flight, the airplane experienced a power loss due to fuel starvation. The event occurred as the flight was entering the traffic pattern for its destination airport. The instructor pilot quickly identified the problem, but the aircraft lacked sufficient altitude—and thus time—for the student to understand the situation and manually move the fuel selector to the other tank.
Forced Landing
With the engine losing power, the crew executed a forced landing at night. They selected a field as the landing site. However, the field contained a ditch. During the landing roll-out, the airplane collided with the ditch. The outcome of the collision and the condition of the aircraft and occupants are not detailed in the source.
Sequence of Events
- The instructional flight was conducting an instrument cross-country phase of training.
- While entering the destination airport traffic pattern, a power loss occurred.
- The cause was determined to be fuel starvation.
- The instructor recognized the fuel starvation, but due to low altitude, the student could not complete the action of switching the fuel selector to the other tank in time.
- A night forced landing was initiated in a field.
- The field contained a ditch, and the aircraft struck the ditch during the landing roll.
No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, date, operator, location, occupants, injuries, or damage are provided in the source.