Incident Overview
A student pilot was nearing the end of a personal cross-country flight with one passenger when he radioed an FAA air traffic approach controller to declare a "lack of fuel" emergency. He requested vectors to the nearest airport. The controller provided a heading and distance, but the pilot determined that he could not glide to that airport.
Forced Landing
The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing on marshy terrain. During the landing, the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane related to the accident flight.
Pilot Statement
When asked by the NTSB investigator if he had purchased fuel before departing on the last leg of his flight, the pilot indicated that he had not purchased fuel but acknowledged that he should have. According to the pilot, his passenger held a private pilot certificate.