Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 620; Flight Crew Type 590
Situational Awareness; Workload; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Aircraft; Human Factors
Executed an emergency forced landing without engine power at ZZZ airport. The order of incidents are as follows: Departed to ZZZ at XA:30 with flight following service (3 people on board: CFI & 2 students). Arrived around XC:00 and full stop after 2 touch and go . Switch the student and continued practicing landings an additional 1 hour 30 minutes. Upon completion of training; requested southbound departure. While climbing after rotation; the engine started to lose power and came to a complete engine failure at 500-600 feet AGL.[Advised ATC] and made estimation for a possibility of landing straight but appeared not to have enough space. It was uncertain turning back to departure runway would work. However; attempted to turn back to the departure runway but was unable to complete turn thus headed west and landed on the grass field. To my understanding; the engine failure seems to have been caused by FUEL STARVATION. The reason it was occurred are the following. External pressure and impatient. [A few days before the reported event]; I was assigned to Student 1 and Student 2 as [their] instructor. Student 1; Student 2 claims that they must get their CPL (Commercial) single rating by [the next month]. The students contact all DPEs (Designated Pilot Examiners) they know then scheduled the examination date on [the following week at ZZZ]; which is not our base airport. I was given only 4 days (5 lessons) of training session with them. Due to the extremely tight schedule and the limited availability of aircrafts in such short period of time; I had to speed up the training procedures and save every minute possible.The following mistakes had led to the accident. Absence of visual check of the fuel tank. I had visually checked the fuel tank for first 3 lessons prior to each flight. The fuel tank was full all three times as the students have said; so on the day; I trusted the students saying and assumed that the fuel tanks were full. Also we had very limited time to train; so I skipped visual check to save training time. Normal operation of the fuel gauges. Occasionally; the fuel gauges in the aircraft indicated zero when the tanks were fully topped off. It would indicate the correct figure after burning off a certain amount. The student reported likewise and I saw that the fuel gauges were indicating zero thus leading to the assumption that the tanks were fully topped off.How to prevent a recurrence. Follow the procedure regardless pressure. Do not skip any procedures. All aspects of the pre-flight routine must be visibly checked as mentioned in the check list; regardless of whatever pressure exists. Don't ignore any instrument error. Be aware of all instrument indications or errors. Double check any minor errors indicated by the instruments and follow the proper procedures outlined in the aircraft POH.
Two students; including me; and one instructor were going to ZZZ flight for check ride preparation.My check ride was next weekend; and another student was tomorrow. The plane came back from former training; and former instructor said; 'the plane is ready for fuel'. During preflight with another student [and] I checked fuel quantity of each tank; visually and it seem almost topped off; just below circle area of cap junction. After checking the oil; I added 1 quart of oil; [and took] another quart for backup. I was expecting to be [in the] backseat for whole flight; however; another student told me the instructor wanted me to fly to ZZZ and do one or two landings. I said OK and was seated [in the] left front seat; Instructor was in right front seat; another student was [in the] back seat. We were in hurry. Got flight following; took off; and contacted Approach.After 10 minutes takeoff; a student who was [in the] back seat; said; 'Low fuel annunciator is lit'. At that time; low fuel annunciator was on and fuel quantity was 10 each tank. The instructor said; this plane shows zero fuel sometimes when the fuel is full. I was new to this school; and [this was] my third flight with this plane. I thought the instructor knew more about this plane than I did; and assumed the fuel was full; and [this was an] indicator error. During the fuel annunciator turned on and off multiple times.Arriving ZZZ; [did] one touch and go and one full stop and taxied back. At the run up area; engine was running; I moved to the back seat; and a student moved to front left seat.From then I was in the back seat; and training was going on. After around one and half hours of training; instructor requested southbound departure. Around 500 feet AGL; we felt engine roughness; student said 'it seems no fuel'; instructor [took] control; requested landing due to engine roughness to the Tower and landed on the grass. No injuries; no airport facility damage.  Inappropriate fuel tank check. It seems I had [misread] the amount of fuel due to following reason. 1) I was in hurry for flight. 2) I have [very little] experience in a Cessna 172. 3) Did not use dipstick and solely relied on eyes during fuel quantity check. Poor fuel management in flight. Ten minutes after takeoff; the other student called out low fuel annunciator. And I saw fuel gauge was low during the flight. However; I ignored them and continued flying because the instructor said low fuel annunciator can be on at full tank. External pressure. We were in hurry during the preflight; run up and enroute. That made it hard to make an appropriate decision.Do the preflight; especially fuel tank check thoroughly. Do not ignore annunciator and gauge.
Cessna 172 instructor pilot and students reported engine failure caused by fuel starvation during climbout followed by an off field landing.