DURING A DUAL XCOUNTRY TRAINING FLT IN A CITABRIA 7ECA; THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE ACFT OR INJURY TO THE INSTRUCTOR OR TRAINEE.

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A PROPER PREFLT WAS DONE; AND THE STUDENT DID A FAIRLY GOOD JOB ON XCOUNTRY PREPARATIONS. HE DID HAVE THE WRONG FUEL TOTAL AND I CORRECTED THE PROB. (HE THOUGHT WE HAD 36 GAL TANKS; WHEN WE ACTUALLY HAD 26 GAL TANKS.) OUR GOAL WAS TO USE PILOTAGE AND DEAD RECKONING TO VICTORIA; THEN INCORPORATE VOR WORK; FROM VICTORIA; PALACIOUS; GALVESTON AND BACK HOME; LA PORTE. THE FLT WAS TO BE ABOUT 2 HRS AND 50 MINS WITH 4 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD; AT ABOUT 6 GALS PER HR; PROPERLY LEANED; WE DID LEAN. WE DEPARTED VICTORIA AND CLBED TO 3500 FT. ON BOTH LEGS I HAD THE STUDENT LEAN THE MIXTURE AND SET THE RPM'S AT 2400. ON BOTH LEGS I MADE HIM LEAN TWICE JUST TO MAKE SURE; AND SET RPM'S TO 2400 AND VERIFY. AT RICE PVT ARPT THE ENG STARTED TO COUGH SO I HAD THE STUDENT ENRICHEN JUST A LITTLE TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN'T TOO LEAN. ON THE MIXTURE LEAN PROC; I DID MONITOR ON BOTH LEGS THE EGT AND RPM SETTINGS WHILE IT WAS BEING DONE. THE ENG COUGHED AGAIN AFTER WE ENRICHED; SO I VERIFIED FUEL ON; MIXTURE RICH; PRIMER IN AND LOCKED MAGNETOS HOT. FUEL TANKS READ 1/2. I EXHAUSTED MY EMER PROCS AND CALLED FOR A MAYDAY. RICE PVT FIELD HAD SOMETHING BIG IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RWY; SO I LOOKED ELSEWHERE AND FOUND A FIELD AND LANDED SAFELY. TOTAL TIME ON HOBBS WAS 3.1 HRS. ACTUAL FLT TIME: FIRST LEG 1 HR 20 MINS; SECOND LEG 1 HR 10 MINS. I LANDED ABOUT 6 MI S OF ARCOLA IN A FIELD. YES THE STUDENT DID HAVE THE WRONG FUEL TOTAL; IT WAS CORRECTED. THE FUEL BURN AT THE POINT OF FAILURE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 16 GALS; WITH 10 GALS REMAINING. I WAS ABOUT 20 MINS FROM T41. I WAS THINKING THAT THE TANK SHOULD READ ABOUT 1/2 OR JUST UNDER; WHICH IT DID. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: HEAD WINDS; NOT BAD THOUGH. FAULTY FUEL GAUGE; AND I DID NOT FUEL AT VICTORIA. HOW IT WAS DISCOVERED: ENG CEASED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: LANDED IN FIELD SAFELY. HUMAN FACTORS: 1) IT APPEARED I SHOULD HAVE MADE IT. 2) POOR JUDGEMENT ON MY PART BY NOT REFUELING. 3) AFTER THE ENG APPEARED TO BE GETTING WORSE I CHOSE A FIELD AND STUCK WITH IT.