What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Student pilot on his 3rd solo cross country fueled his own aircraft at Hoquiam. Pilot had never fueled an aircraft before. After fueling the aircraft, the student pilot not having any reference via centerline markings from the fueling station to the active taxiway, misjudged his position and struck a fence post with the aircrafts left wing. The mid section of the leading edge of the left wing was damaged by the fence post. The aircraft then pivoted with the aircrafts propeller and left aileron impacting the fence. The aircraft propeller became imbedded into the metal chain link fence.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) STUDENT PILOT ON HIS 3RD SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FUELED HIS OWN AIRCRAFT AT HOQUIAM. PILOT HAD NEVER FUELED AN AIRCRAFT BEFORE. AFTER FUELING THE AIRCRAFT, THE STUDENT PILOT NOT HAVING ANY REFERENCE VIA CENTERLINE MARKINGS FROM THE FUELING STATION TO THE ACTIVE TAXIWAY, MISJUDGED HIS POSITION AND STRUCK A FENCE POST WITH THE AIRCRAFTS LEFT WING. THE MID SECTION OF THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED BY THE FENCE POST. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PIVOTED WITH THE AIRCRAFTS PROPELLER AND LEFT AILERON IMPACTING THE FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER BECAME IMBEDDED INTO THE METAL CHAIN LINK FENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.