Incident Details
A student pilot decided to make a precautionary landing due to concerns about low fuel. She reported that the fuel gauges indicated EMPTY, but the engine continued to operate. The airplane had flown for 69 minutes since it was last refueled. During the flight, the COM/NAV equipment was not functioning for the pilot, although the amps appeared 'OK.' The pilot saw a private airport with power lines and trees but did not feel comfortable landing there because of those obstacles. She chose to land the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted in soft sand.
Pilot Information
The student pilot had logged 154.8 hours in the airplane, including 34.2 hours of solo flight, 74.6 hours of local dual instruction, 12.5 hours of solo cross-country, and 33.5 hours of dual cross-country with dual instruction covering all points of the cross-country route. The flight instructor reported that he had been working with the student on decision-making for a long time.
Post-Accident Examination
No maintenance discrepancies were known to exist prior to the flight. After the accident, the electrically operated flaps were found in the fully extended position. The airplane still contained 12 gallons of fuel. When the battery was recharged and the fuel tanks were filled, the fuel gauges indicated 'FULL,' and the COM/NAV equipment operated normally. A mechanic performed tests on the fuel indication and transmitting system and reported that the tests indicated no malfunctions of either system.