Accident Details
The accident occurred at 1830 EST when a student pilot, flying a solo cross-country instructional flight, executed a forced landing to a golf course located 3 miles north of the destination airport. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over, resulting in substantial damage.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had departed at 1600 EST and made an intermediate landing at another airport without refueling. She then continued en route to the destination. Upon arrival, she was cleared to land on runway 23 and was number three in the landing sequence when the engine lost power. At the time, her altitude was approximately 1,600 feet MSL. She performed an emergency landing to a golf course.
Pilot Report
The student pilot stated, "If I were enabled to fly again, I would remember to switch my fuel tanks (as it says on the check lists). I would not rely on habit but on the lists which are given me for the purpose of not relying on habit."
Aircraft Inspection
Post-accident inspection of the airplane revealed no fuel in the right fuel tank, while the left tank was full. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position. An engine run was performed, and the engine operated with no anomalies.
Conclusion
The circumstances indicate that fuel starvation due to the fuel selector being positioned on an empty tank led to the loss of engine power. However, no official probable cause was determined in the source.