Incident Overview
Approximately three hours into a solo cross-country flight, a student pilot with 76 hours of flight experience entered the traffic pattern for touch-and-go landings. During the second takeoff climb, at an altitude of about 1,400 to 1,500 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a road. The aircraft touched down toward the end of the road, and during the landing roll, the nose landing gear struck a curb and separated from the fuselage.
Fuel Service
Prior to the preflight inspection, the student pilot had called for the fuel truck. While the pilot remained in the airplane, the service person was on a ladder, supposedly fueling the aircraft. After descending the ladder, the service person told the pilot that the "fuel was fine." The student pilot did not verify the fuel level. The aircraft had been flown for only one hour since it was last fueled two days earlier.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the fuel system revealed no compromise; however, no usable fuel was found in either fuel tank. Both fuel gauges indicated zero. When five gallons of fuel were added to one of the tanks, its corresponding fuel gauge indicated the proper amount of fuel.