PLT IN A C210 DECLARES AN EMER WHEN HIS ENG QUITS AND HE CAN'T RESTART THE ENG ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. DISCOVERS THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON AN EMPTY TANK. THE C210 DOES NOT HAVE A 'BOTH TANKS' POS. RESTARTS ON THE SECOND TRY. PLT HAD 30 HRS IN TYPE.

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WHILE DSNDING TO 2000 FT ENRTE TO MIAMI-OPA LOCKA ARPT; (OPF); THE ENG OF THE C210L I WAS FLYING SUDDENLY QUIT. AT THE TIME; I HAD JUST BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH AND TOLD 'FREQ CHANGE APPROVED.' WHEN THE ENG QUIT; MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS AND ENGAGE THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP. THE ENG RAN FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS AND THEN QUIT AGAIN. AT THIS TIME; I WENT BACK TO MIAMI APCH FREQ AND XMITTED 'MAYDAY.' I BRIEFLY EXPLAINED THAT I HAD ENG TROUBLE AND WAS TOLD THAT OPA LOCKA WEST; (X46) WAS NEARBY. I TRIED THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AGAIN AND THE ENG STARTED UP AND RAN SMOOTHLY. I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPF AND LAND SAFELY. UPON LNDG; I FOUND THAT ONE TANK WAS NEARLY EMPTY. PRIMARY CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT I BELIEVE WAS IMPROPER FUEL MGMNT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS MY OWN INEXPERIENCE IN C210 ACFT; WHICH ARE UNLIKE MANY OTHER CESSNAS BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF A 'BOTH' POS ON THE FUEL SELECTOR. THE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT MY COMPANY OFFERS FOR NEW PLTS WAS VERY GOOD. WE PRACTICED MANY SIMULATED ENG FAILURES AND I BELIEVE THAT THE EXCELLENT TRAINING HELPED TO AVOID A DISASTROUS SIT. PROPER FUEL MGMNT WAS ALSO STRESSED; BUT THIS WAS ONE LESSON THAT I ENDED UP TEACHING MYSELF IN THE AIRPLANE. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT ALL ENDED WELL.