Cessna 152
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 230; Flight Crew Total 725; Flight Crew Type 120
Other / Unknown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Aircraft; Human Factors
I am the Flight Instructor of the solo student who made an off field emergency landing. This lesson; as part of the 141 syllabus; was his 3rd solo flight. I let him preflight and I was there for part of it. I did a cockpit check and noticed the fuel gauges indicated half; or 12 gallons usable fuel (which to 2.0 hours flight time). I then checked the exterior of the aircraft as well. As we were getting a quart of oil to put in the engine; he told me that he had visually checked the fuel tanks and they indicated that they were at half. He finished his preflight and I walked in to the Dispatch Office to monitor the Tower frequency. I did not take the step further and check the fuel tanks for myself. Given that he has flown before and that he has demonstrated proficiency in entering and leaving the practice area and that it was a one hour flight (with enough fuel to complete the lesson and have legal fuel reserves); I released him to fly. His flight duration was 1.7 hours.Looking back at all my solos except for my initial; I do not recall my instructors doing preflight with me and since nothing in the SOP for the school says I should be there to preflight with my student for solo flights; I let him fly; taking reasonable precautions in my mind and given my aviation experience regarding solo students. This is the first school in which I have let student pilots solo. I have soloed 2 other student pilots and let 5 part 141 student fly solo under commercial lessons (after having obtained their PPL). Above all else; I am grateful that my student walked away from the aircraft unharmed and is excited to fly again. The information I stated above has been filled to the best of my knowledge and memory with the resources I have available to me.
C152 Flight Instructor describes the preflight and departure of his student on his third solo that ends in an off field landing due to fuel exhaustion.