Flight History
A student pilot conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane prior to an instructional flight with a certified flight instructor (CFI). During the preflight, the student pilot visually noted that the fuel tanks were about one-quarter to three-eighths full. The instructional flight lasted 45 minutes. After landing, the CFI authorized the student pilot to perform his first solo flight. Both individuals exited the airplane to complete paperwork. The student pilot then returned to the airplane and departed while the instructor observed. The student pilot did not perform any preflight check of the airplane before the solo flight.
Incident Description
During the initial climb after the student pilot's first touch-and-go landing of the solo flight, the airplane's engine sputtered and lost power. The airplane touched back down onto the runway and ran off the end of the runway, subsequently impacting a fence.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tank caps were in place and the fuel tanks were empty. At the time of the accident, the airplane had flown 5.1 hours since being topped off with fuel. According to the airplane's operating manual, the total fuel capacity was 42 gallons, of which 41 were usable. The CFI stated that the average fuel consumption for the airplane was 8 gallons per hour.