Incident Overview
A flight school reported that a private pilot submitted a night visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan for authorization by the school. The pilot then intentionally flew a route for which he had not received proper mountain flying endorsements from the flight school.
Flight Events
During the night cross-country flight, the pilot reported that he did not refuel at any of his stopover airports. He became lost over mountainous terrain. The pilot attempted unsuccessfully to contact air traffic control. After 4.3 hours of flight, the fuel was exhausted, and the engine lost power.
Post-Loss-of-Power Sequence
Following the loss of power, the pilot reported that he glided towards a winery and impacted power lines. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and right aileron.
Mechanical Condition
The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.