Primary finding
Probable cause
The student pilot's inadvertently becoming lost, and the subsequent precautionary landing in a field, resulting in a collision with soft terrain and nose over.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The student pilot was conducting a solo cross country instructional flight. He reported that he 'became lost.' he was unable to determine his position, and he was unsuccessful in contacting ATC for assistance. When the airplane fuel supply became low, he initiated a precautionary landing in a field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel encountered soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over.
Source record
Factual narrative
On Wednesday, March 23, 1994, at 1620 eastern standard time, a Cessna 152, N646OL, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing in a field in Amherst, Massachusetts. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The student pilot was conducting a solo cross country flight from Manchester, New Hampshire to Schenectady, New York. He stated that he "became lost and disorientated." He also stated that he was "unable to raise anyone on [the] radio." He became concerned that he would exhaust the airplane fuel supply, so he elected to perform a precautionary landing in a field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel collided with soft terrain, and the airplane nosed over and damaged the engine fire wall and empennage. Mr. Joseph S. Santos, Airworthiness Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, stated in his report: According to the student pilot he became lost enroute and when he looked at the fuel gages he thought he was running out of fuel. As a result he made a precautionary landing. On the scene inspection of the aircraft did not reveal any evidence of any airframe or powerplant malfunc- tion. At the time of the accident, the student pilot had a total of 74 hours flight time. -