Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 112; Flight Crew Total 577
Training / Qualification
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Event / Encounter Object; Ground Excursion Runway; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Weather
Student pilot had previously been flying with another instructor and had completed his initial student solo. I began flying with the student and had endorsed him for solos as well. We completed a couple of cross country flights together and then I endorsed the student for a student-pilot solo cross-country flight. After taking a couple of weeks off from flying after his student-pilot solo cross-country; the student and I flew together and I deemed he was not ready to solo again. I flew with him two more times and he flew with another instructor once following the time off. I felt comfortable with him completing a student pilot solo cross-country again.On the day of the runway excursion; the student showed up prepared; having completed his planning which I reviewed and approved. I provided the student with the necessary endorsements and he departed with 30 gallons of fuel with an estimated fuel burn of 15 gallons.Upon departure; I heard over the radio; the Tower Controller try to contact the student after his departure regarding the transponder; in which the student was slow to respond and confused about what Tower was asking of him ('squawk VFR'). The student completed the rest of his cross-country flight and upon arriving at the point of return; the student had a runway excursion on landing. When I asked the student what happened; he was unsure; and only stated that he lost control of the aircraft. The plane left the runway and rolled into the grass adjacent of the runway; taking out one runway light in the process.It was discovered when retrieving the airplane that the low fuel annunciator lights were on. It is unclear if the student was aware of the annunciator lights or not. The actual quantity of fuel is unknown at this time. The winds at the time of landing were reported at approximately 30deg off the runway at 8 knots. In the past; the student had shown difficulty correcting for crosswinds on landing. I believe the student may have landed the airplane with a slight crab angle. When wheels contacted the surface; it may have caused the airplane to deviate from the runway into the grass. The added stress from the low fuel annunciators (maybe the student was aware; maybe not) could have added to the stress of the crosswind landing and ultimately loss of control of the airplane.
Flight instructor reported that a student pilot had a runway excursion during solo cross country flight.