OFF ARPT LNDG MADE AFTER SMA EXPERIENCES ENG FAILURE DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND NEAR EXHAUSTION.

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ON STUDENT'S FIRST X-COUNTRY WITH INSTRUCTOR. ON DOWNWIND TO 26R AT PHX; CLRNC CALLED FOR L 270 DEG TURN FROM R DOWNWIND 26R TO R BASE 26R; STUDENT ALLOWED ALT TO FALL 100 FT BELOW TPA (2100) ON L TURN AND CLB; ENG SPUTTERED THEN LOST PWR. HE LEVELED THE WINGS AND SET FOR A BEST GLIDE PITCH. I INFORMED ATC WE NEEDED DIRECT TO NUMBERS FOR ENG PROBLEMS. WE WERE CLRED FOR THAT AND LNDG ON 26R. THE GLIDE WOULD NOT PERMIT LNDG ON RWY SO I TOOK OVER AND ATTEMPTED TO RE-PORT FUEL BY SLIPPING ACFT. AT 500 FT AGL I SECURED THE ENG; REESTABLISHED NORMAL GLIDE; AND SELECTED A FINAL TOUCHDOWN POINT IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RWY WE HAD TURNED TO ON EXTENDED RWY CTRLINE. ONCE LNDG WAS ASSURED I ADDED FULL FLAPS; TOUCHED DOWN AND BROUGHT THE PLANE TO A FULL STOP. (HARD LNDG INSPECTION REVEALED NO DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME/PWR-PLANT;...). IN COMPUTING FLT; WE FIGURED THERE WAS 1/4 TANK IN TANKS ALREADY BY USE OF A (LATER FOUND UNCALIBRATED) DIPSTICK. WE PURCHASED ENOUGH FUEL (ANY MORE WOULD PUT FLT OVER GROSS WT) FOR A TRIP TO TUCSON INTL AND RETURN (PLUS 30 MIN RESERVE). THE FLT DOWN WAS ON SCHEDULE; BUT THE RETURN TRIP WAS 30 MIN LONGER THAN SCHEDULED. UPON ENTERING THE PATTERN; I FIGURED THE RESERVE WAS GONE; BUT WE STILL HAD 1/4 TANK. (6.5 GALLONS; 3.5 UNUSABLE; 3 GALLONS USABLE). UPON INSPECTING TANKS AT THE INCIDENT SCENE; THE DIPSTICK READ JUST UNDER A 1/4 TANK; BUT ONLY 1 3/8 GALLONS WAS DRAINED AT THE LOW POINT ENG SUMP. (THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE UNUSABLE). BUT IT NEVER MADE IT TO THE ENG IN THE ATTITUDE THE STUDENT PUT THE AIRPLANE INTO. FROM THIS I HAVE LEARNED THAT IF THE QUANTITY IS VERY LOW; LAND IMMEDIATELY. (DO NOT PUSH A FLT TO THE LAST FEW GALLONS). DO NOT TRUST OTHER THAN FACTORY DIPSTICKS. IF POSSIBLE; WHEN TRAINING; FILL THE PLANE TO GROSS WT OR FULL TANKS; WHICH EVER LESS AFTER EVERY LNDG (FOR SECURITY AND STUDENT INEFFICIENCY).