Incident Details
During a solo night training flight, the student pilot reduced the throttle to 1,500 rpm while turning from base to final. The airplane was farther from the runway than anticipated, so the pilot increased throttle, but the engine lost rpm. Emergency procedures were performed, but engine power was not restored. The subsequent forced landing resulted in the airplane colliding with trees short of the runway. The integrity of the fuel system was compromised.
Fuel Management
The airplane departed with full fuel tanks, reported as 26.5 gallons total (22 gallons usable), for a planned round robin flight. En route refueling was scheduled, and the pilot added 9.3 gallons at the first refueling point. However, fueling personnel were not on duty at the airport for the second planned refueling. The student measured the fuel using a measuring stick and calculated remaining fuel to be 10 gallons (approximately 9 gallons usable). The student telephoned the instructor, and both agreed on an alternate airport for refueling. Total flight time was 4.6 hours. Based on available flight plan data, the aircraft manufacturer's representative calculated total fuel consumption of 21.6 gallons for the planned round robin flight.
Carburetor Icing Conditions
The carburetor icing probability chart indicated that carburetor icing was possible at glide and cruise power given the ambient temperature of 88 degrees Fahrenheit and a dew point of 66 degrees Fahrenheit.