how do you take off from Teterboro, 10 mi from NYC and run out of gas 15 minutes later? as I hear the news, his flight instructor was with him .. when I took flying lessons years ago, that was the first thing our flight instructor had us do in a long checklist of preparation before putting the key in the ignition. just doesn't make sense.
In those situations where there is a flight instructor "along for the ride", I've read from student pilots who've blogged their first flight experiences have said that the flight instructor will usually take control of the plane if it's in imminent danger for various reasons.