C152 instructor and student pilot perform an off-field landing due to fuel exhaustion.

Attributes
ACN	667700
Time
Date	200507
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 6500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 950 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	667700
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

It was a cross country flight. The flight instructor did not check the fuel after the student was done with preflight nor during the flight. We took off with less fuel than needed to complete the flight. The flight instructor watched the student preflight and watched the student do check points. We did a touch-and-go at ZZZ; and on climb out just as we leveled off; the engine began to quit. The flight instructor took over; did a flow check to try to start the engine. Contacted approach to get radar coverage and performed an off-field landing. The plane and passenger were ok. It was discussed on the ground that we lost the engine due to no fuel. The problem arose by having the flight instructor not check the fuel gauges nor check the gauges in-flight. Some contributing factors were that the student was a private pilot with an instrument rating; and the flight instructor relied too much on her judgement. The corrective action is to go in for a re-examination by the FAA for the flight instructor and training for the student. The problem should not have happened if the flight instructor had done his job and checked the fuel gauges.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PLT PERFORM AN OFF-FIELD LNDG DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Narrative: IT WAS A XCOUNTRY FLT. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR DID NOT CHK THE FUEL AFTER THE STUDENT WAS DONE WITH PREFLT NOR DURING THE FLT. WE TOOK OFF WITH LESS FUEL THAN NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE FLT. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR WATCHED THE STUDENT PREFLT AND WATCHED THE STUDENT DO CHK POINTS. WE DID A TOUCH-AND-GO AT ZZZ; AND ON CLBOUT JUST AS WE LEVELED OFF; THE ENG BEGAN TO QUIT. THE FLT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER; DID A FLOW CHK TO TRY TO START THE ENG. CONTACTED APCH TO GET RADAR COVERAGE AND PERFORMED AN OFF-FIELD LNDG. THE PLANE AND PAX WERE OK. IT WAS DISCUSSED ON THE GND THAT WE LOST THE ENG DUE TO NO FUEL. THE PROB AROSE BY HAVING THE FLT INSTRUCTOR NOT CHK THE FUEL GAUGES NOR CHK THE GAUGES INFLT. SOME CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THAT THE STUDENT WAS A PVT PLT WITH AN INST RATING; AND THE FLT INSTRUCTOR RELIED TOO MUCH ON HER JUDGEMENT. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION IS TO GO IN FOR A RE-EXAM BY THE FAA FOR THE FLT INSTRUCTOR AND TRAINING FOR THE STUDENT. THE PROB SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE FLT INSTRUCTOR HAD DONE HIS JOB AND CHKED THE FUEL GAUGES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.