A FLT INSTRUCTOR RPTS THAT A PRIVATE PLT UNDER HIS INSTRUCTION NEARLY RAN OUT OF GAS ON A NIGHT XCOUNTRY. THERE WILL BE EXTENSIVE GND AND FLT INSTRUCTION TO FOLLOW. ZMP AND OMA TRACON COLLABORATED IN A FLT ASSIST.

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MY STUDENT; WHO HOLDS A PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE; WAS DOING A XCOUNTRY FLT TO FULFILL THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE XCOUNTRY TIME FOR HIS COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE. HE LEFT FROM THE MINNEAPOLIS AREA TO RETURN TO OMA. HE STOPPED FOR FUEL IN STORM LAKE; IA; BUT FOUND THE FBO CLOSED. HE DECIDED TO PRESS ON TO OMA. HE FAILED TO CALCULATE HOW LONG THE FLT WOULD BE AND THAT HE WOULD BE IN A LOW FUEL SITUATION BY THE TIME HE RETURNED TO OMA. HIS INTENTION WAS TO LAND IN DENISON; IA; FOR FUEL; BUT WHEN HE GOT TO DENISON; (OR WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS DENISON)HE SAW THE LIGHTS OF OMA AND DECIDED TO TRY FOR THE OMA ARPT. HE CALLED OMA APCH AND STATED HIS INTENTIONS. OMA APCH ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE TO HIM; BUT WAS UNABLE TO PICK HIM UP ON RADAR. OMA APCH THEN ASKED ZMP FOR A FIX AND FOUND HE WAS 60 NM N OF OMA. THIS WAS 30 NM FROM WHERE THE PLT THOUGHT HE WAS. HE STILL DECIDED TO PRESS ON SINCE HE SAW THE LIGHTS OF OMAHA. ATC RPTED HIS GND SPD AS 70 KTS. THE STUDENT DID MAKE IT TO OMA WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT HE NEEDED 23.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. USEFUL FUEL ON THE ACFT IS 24.5 GALLONS. ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT IN THE ACFT WITH THE PLT; I FEEL SOMEWHAT INVOLVED SINCE I AM HIS INSTRUCTOR. REMEDIAL ACTION HERE WILL CONSIST OF NO FURTHER FLTS UNTIL I GIVE HIM 5 HRS OF GND INSTRUCTION AND 2-3 HRS ADDITIONAL XCOUNTRY DUAL; WITH AN EMPHASIS ON FUEL MGMNT.