C182 PLT PAX AND PLT TOOK OFF WITH EMPTY FUEL TANKS; RAN OUT OF GAS; AND HAD AN OFF ARPT FORCED LNDG. NEITHER PLT VISUALLY CHKED THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE TANKS; ON THE PREFLT INSPECTION.

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I WAS A NON FLY PLT/PAX IN THE R SEAT OF A C182. I ARRIVED AT THE ACFT (AT ZZZ) AFTER THE PLT HAD COMPLETED HIS PREFLT INSPECTION. DURING RUN-UP; WE NOTICED THE L FUEL GAUGE READ NEAR EMPTY; THE R GAUGE READ FULL. WE CHKED THE FUEL SELECTOR AND FOUND IT IN THE 'L ONLY' POS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE KNEW THE PLANE HAD FUEL AND SUSPECTED THAT THE L GAUGE WAS FAULTY. I HAD BEEN UNABLE TO VERIFY FUEL QUANTITY DURING PREFLT BECAUSE THERE WERE NO STEPS ON THE STRUTS OR LADDER AVAILABLE; SO I TRUSTED THE PLT; WHO HAD MANY MORE YRS EXPERIENCE. I SAID I BELIEVED IT WAS LIKELY; HOWEVER; GIVEN THE SELECTOR POS; THAT THE GAUGE WAS READING CORRECTLY; AND THAT THE PREVIOUS PLT HAD SET THE SELECTOR IN THE WRONG POS. IT WAS PLACARDED THAT USE OF R ONLY OR L ONLY WAS RECOMMENDED ONLY FOR STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT. I RESET THE FUEL SELECTOR POS TO BOTH. SINCE THE R GAUGE READ FULL (37 GALLONS); I SAID THAT IF HE WAS SURE THE AIRPLANE HAD FUEL; THAT I WAS COMFORTABLE FLYING 1 HR WITH 37 GALLONS. A FEW MINS AFTER TKOF; AT 1800 FT; JUST XING THE N/E SHORELINE OF THE BAY; THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND FULL RICH MIXTURE. I TOLD HIM I WAS SELECTING THE R FUEL TANK; AND I CALLED FOR CARB HEAT AND FUEL PUMP. THE ENG DID NOT RESTART. I ASKED HIM TO DECLARE AN EMER; WHICH HE DID (WE HAD JUST TUNED TO ZZZ2 APCH). THE PLT RADIOED HE WAS RETURNING TO ZZZ; I SAID 'NO; ZZZ1' (BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO CROSS BACK OVER THE BAY). HE AGREED. I SAID WE WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE ZZZ1 AND THAT WE NEEDED TO CHOOSE A SITE FOR LNDG. I POINTED OUT A HWY; WHICH THE PLT REJECTED. I THEN POINTED OUT A FIELD; TO WHICH HE AGREED. DURING DOWNWIND; THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED. I SHOUTED 'AIRSPD; AIRSPD.' THE PLT RECOVERED. DURING TURN TO FINAL AT APPROX 60-80 FT AGL; THE STALL WARNING AGAIN SOUNDED AND I FELT THE AIRPLANE SINK. THE AIRSPD WAS DECREASING RAPIDLY. I GRABBED THE YOKE AND PUSHED IT FORWARD. THE STALL ABATED. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN; I PULLED BACK FULL ON THE YOKE. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD BUT WAS NOT DAMAGED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE ACTUALLY EMPTY; ALTHOUGH THE R GAUGE STILL READ 'FULL.' WE SUBSEQUENTLY LEARNED THAT THE PREVIOUS DAY IT HAD BEEN DEFUELED FOR A WT AND BAL.