NTSB Factual Report

On April 23, 2002, at 1830 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-161, N563PU, operated by Purdue University, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing to a golf course 3 miles north of the Purdue University Airport (LAF), Lafayette, Indiana. The student pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 solo cross country instructional flight was cleared to land on runway 23 at LAF when the airplane experienced a loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported she had departed LAF at 1600 on the solo cross country flight and had landed at FWA, but had not refueled. She departed FWA en route to LAF. She attempted to contact the LAF tower for a landing clearance when she was 10 miles northeast of the airport. She continued inbound but flew a holding pattern until she was cleared into the LAF Class D airspace. The tower cleared the airplane to land on runway 23 and informed the pilot she was number three for landing.

The pilot reported the engine quit and that her altitude was about 1,600 feet msl. She reported she did an emergency landing to a golf course. During the landing rollout, the airplane nosed over.

The pilot reported, "If I were enabled to fly again, I would remember to switch my fuel tanks (as it says on the check lists). I would not rely on habit but on the lists which are given me for the purpose of not relying on habit."

Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration inspected the airplane. The inspection of the airplane revealed no fuel in the right tank and full fuel in the left tank. The fuel selector was found in the right tank position. An engine run was performed and the engine ran with no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper fuel management resulting in the total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's failure to use the checklist.