On July 22, 1996, about 1145 hours Pacific daylight time, a Katana DA-20-A1, N236BR, was substantially damaged during an emergency landing at Vacaville, California. Neither the flight instructor nor the student pilot were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local instructional flight. According to an FAA inspector, the airplane was out of fuel. The inspector further stated that the student pilot had questioned the instructor about the fuel quantity prior to the flight. The instructor pilot reported that they were returning from the practice area, about 4 miles from the airport, and the engine quit. When he turned on the fuel pump the engine began to run again. Approximately 2 minutes later, the engine quit again. The instructor pilot chose to land on a vacant street and the airplane collided with a street sign and curbing.