FUEL STARVATION AND POSSIBLE FUEL EXHAUSTION CREATES AN UNCOMFORTABLE DSCNT PROC FOR SMA PLT IN A NIGHT OP. LANDS SAFELY AT DEST ARPT.

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VFR FLT FROM TOA TO SAC DEPARTED APPROX XA00 HRS. TKOF; CLB 1 HR CRUISE ON L TANK OF HIGH WINGED SMA. I HAD BEEN CRUISING AT 12500 ON R TANK FOR 30 MINS. WHEN I WAS TO START MY VFR DSCNT; I DECIDED TO SWITCH BACK TO THE L TANK SINCE THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED FUEL REMAINING AND I WANTED TO BURN DOWN THE L TANK; LEAVING THE R TANK WITH AS MUCH FUEL AS POSSIBLE AT LOW ALT AND ON FINAL APCH. WHEN THE L TANK 'RAN DRY' EVEN THOUGH THE GAUGE STILL SHOWED 10-15 POUNDS; I SWITCHED TO THE R TANK;. HOWEVER; I DID NOT REGAIN PWR. I KNEW THERE WAS PLENTY OF FUEL IN THE R TANK BUT POSSIBLY IT WOULD NOT FEED PROPERLY. MEANWHILE THE FUEL GAUGE FOR THE L TANK STILL SHOWED SAME INDICATION OF FUEL PRESENT SO IN DESPERATION; I SWITCHED BACK TO THE L TANK. WHEN I COULDN'T GET ANY FUEL FLOW FROM THE L; I SWITCHED BACK TO THE R; AND FINALLY WITH FULL RICH MIXTURE AND EMER FUEL PUMP ON; I GOT PWR BACK; BUT BY THAT TIME I HAD TO RETARD THE THROTTLE TO IDLE TO DSND. I LANDED SAFELY WITH ENG AT IDLE PWR. ON ROLLOUT THE ENG STOPPED WHICH IN RETROSPECT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE THE MIXTURE WAS FULL RICH. THE NEXT MORNING THE R TANK HAD BTWN 1 AND 2 INCHES OF FUEL AS SEEN THROUGH THE FILLER HOLE WHICH WAS WHAT MY CALCULATED REMAINING FUEL WAS ESTIMATED TO BE.