FTW97LA244

The student pilot's initial solo cross-country flight was intended to follow a 122 nautical mile VFR round trip course which was planned to take about 1 hour and 40 minutes. During the return leg, the pilot became lost and landed at a different airport, located about 20 miles from her intended destination. She took off again to try to get back to her destination, and while en route, the engine lost power. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane skidded along a roadway and struck a utility pole. The aircraft had been operating for about 3 hours and 15 minutes before the loss of power. According to refueling records, the pilot originally departed with about 19 to 20 gallons of fuel on board. The engine's fuel burn for normal cruise was about 6 gallons per hour. No usable fuel was found in the tanks at the accident site.

On July 2, 1997, approximately 1400 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 airplane, N69073, registered and operated by Bridgeport Flight Training Center, of Bridgeport, Texas, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, near Fort Worth Alliance Airport, Fort Worth, Texas. The student pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. A VFR flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 solo instructional cross country flight. The flight originated from Alliance Airport approximately 1300. {The student pilot was enrolled in a Title 14 CFR Part 141 flight training program}

The 17 year old student pilot reported, via NTSB form 6120.1/2, that the original purpose of the flight was to complete her initial solo cross country flight. The planned flight originated from Bridgeport Municipal Airport, Bridgeport, Texas, and was intended to follow a VFR course to Stephens County Airport, Breckenridge, Texas, and subsequent return to Bridgeport. The pilot departed Bridgeport at 0915 and flew successfully to Breckenridge, making a full stop landing approximately 1030. After about 45 minutes on the ground at Breckenridge, the pilot took off at 1130 for the return flight to Bridgeport. During the flight, the pilot became disoriented and ultimately landed at Alliance, Airport (located about 20 miles southwest of Bridgeport), at 1300. Upon arrival at Alliance the pilot called back to the flight school dispatcher at Bridgeport and left a message that she would be returning about 1400. After planning the flight from Alliance to Bridgeport, she took off approximately 1330. While en route to Bridgeport, the pilot called the tower at Alliance and stated that she was having engine problems. The tower gave her a heading back to Alliance and shortly thereafter, the engine lost all power. During the emergency descent/landing, the airplane skidded along a road and the left wing struck a utility pole, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage and left wing. According to the aforementioned take off and landing times, the aircraft had been operating for about 3 hours and 15 minutes prior to the loss of power.

During an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the certified flight instructor (CFI) who was supervising the flight, reported that at 1340, the flight dispatcher informed him that Alliance tower had called to inform them that his student had been lost and had landed at Alliance. He then flew to Alliance, arrived at 1350, and heard his student communicating about engine problems on tower frequency. He monitored the tower frequency as they were trying to help the student pilot in distress. The CFI further stated that he had given the student her solo cross country check flight and endorsement on June 30, 1997. The route of flight for the check flight was from Bridgeport to Abilene and back to Bridgeport. He stated that she performed well during the flight, and that he was confident of her ability to solo cross country.

Further investigation revealed that, on the previous day, the airplane had been flown from Bridgeport to Waco, Texas, and returned to Bridgeport. The pilots who flew to Waco stated that they had topped off both 13 gallon fuel tanks before they departed from Waco. Upon landing at Bridgeport, they did not refuel the airplane. According to refueling records, the airplane was not refueled after the flight from Waco, or prior to the accident flight. According to airplane performance charts, the 98 nautical mile trip from Waco to Bridgeport should take about 1 hour and 10 minutes (plus or minus, depending on winds). According to engine performance charts, the fuel burn for typical cruise is about 6 gallons per hour. After the flight from Waco, the airplane would have had about 19 to 20 gallons of fuel remaining. As stated previously, the student pilot was airborne for approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes, which would have resulted in about 19 gallons of fuel burn at 6 gallons per hour. The total usable fuel in this model aircraft is 24.5 gallons of the 26 gallon capacity. The pilot did not refuel at Bridgeport, Breckenridge, or Alliance.

According to aeronautical charts, the distance from Bridgeport to Breckenridge is about 61 nautical miles, 122 miles round trip. Had the student not become disoriented, she should have had sufficient fuel to complete the originally planned flight which would have taken about 1 hour and 40 minutes.