On August 10, 1996, at 0005 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182B, N2487G, impacted rough terrain and nosed over during an off-airport emergency landing in an open field, 3 miles north of John Wayne Airport, Santa Ana, California. The aircraft was substantially damaged; however, the private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight which originated at Lone Pine, California, at 2235 for the flight to the John Wayne Airport. The pilot told the NTSB investigator that he departed Lone Pine with one fuel tank over half full and the other nearly full, but that he had exhausted his fuel supply. The engine failed when he was about 5 miles from the destination airport. When he lowered the nose of the aircraft to a glide attitude the engine ran; however, when he raised the nose the engine stopped. With the engine "coughing and sputtering," he elected to land in a nearby field rather than attempt to reach the airport. He said he had cruised at 11,500 feet and acknowledged that he may have not leaned the mixture properly. The salvage crew, which recovered the aircraft, reported draining 1 gallon of fuel from the right fuel tank and 3 gallons from the left tank.