Primary finding
Probable cause
The improper inflight planning and decision by the student pilot resulting in fuel exhaustion.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was conducting a solo cross country flight. She was planning to land at an airport to refuel, but her flight time was running behind schedule, so she decided to overfly the airport and continue to her final destination. Enroute she realized that the fuel supply onboard the airplane was inadequate for the remainder of the flight, so she requested assistance from ATC. She requested vectors to an airport where she could obtain fuel. ATC vectored her to an airport, but the first attempt to land was unsuccessful, and a go-around was performed. On the second attempt, the engine quit on base leg. The pilot landed short of the runway in a corn field. The FAA found no significant fuel in the tanks.
Source record
Factual narrative
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