MARANA, AZ, USA
N61552
CESSNA 172M
BEFORE TAKING OFF ON A FLT FOR A BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW, THE PVT PLT PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TOOK HIS WORD THAT ABOUT 20 GAL OF FUEL WAS ON BOARD. THE OPERATOR RPRTD THE CFI WAS AWARE THAT THE LEFT FUEL GAGE WAS INOP. NO DIP STICK WAS USED TO MEASURE THE QUANTITY OF FUEL BEFORE TAKEOFF. AFTER ABOUT 35 MIN OF FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER AS THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND FROM A SIMULATED FORCED LNDG, BUT FULL POWER RESUMED WHEN THE NOSE WAS LOWERED. ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINS LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN, BUT WOULD NOT RESTART. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT HIT A SAGUARO (TREE LIKE) CACTUS DRG AN EMERGENCY LANDING. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AFTER THE ACDNT.
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY GAGE, THE CFI'S DECISION TO MAKE THE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE FUEL GAGE, AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE LIKE CACTUS) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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