AN SMA PLT; DUE TO A LOW FUEL SIT; ELECTED TO LAND ON A HWY WHEN UNABLE TO LOCATE DEST ARPT.

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WE DEPARTED 1M1; NORTH LITTLE ROCK MUNICIPAL; WITH FULL FUEL FOR A 2.5 HR VFR FLT TO A PVT FIELD AT LUCEDALE; MS. WX WAS GOOD FOR THE ENTIRE RTE. ENRTE; WINDS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED (30 KTS ON NOSE). THE RESULT WAS A 3.1 ENRTE AND ARR WITH MINIMUM VFR FUEL. I HAD BEEN TO THE FIELD ABOUT 2 YRS PRIOR. SURE THAT I COULD FIND THE FIELD; I CONTINUED TO CIRCLE AND LOOK FOR THE RWY. WE CALLED ON THE RWY VHF FREQ AND EVEN CALLED THE FIELD CELL PHONE NUMBER. TIME PASSED QUICKLY; BUT NOT AS FAST AS THE LOW ALT MOVEMENT OF THE FUEL GAUGE TOWARD 'EMPTY.' I ALLOWED THE GAUGE TO RUN SO LOW THAT I WAS UNCERTAIN OF THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REMAINING. I KNEW VERY LITTLE USABLE FUEL WOULD SOON FORCE US INTO AN EMER SIT. WE RETURNED TO A NEARBY 4 LANE DIVIDED HWY WITH NO AUTO TFC IN SIGHT. WE LANDED AND CALLED THE POLICE ON A CELL PHONE. AFTER RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS ON THE RWY LOCATION; ADDING SOME FUEL AND ASKING THE POLICE TO BLOCK ANY TFC; WE DEPARTED AND LANDED AT THE FIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS; PVT RWY NOT ON THE CURRENT CHARTS. PVT RWY DID NOT HAVE AN OPERATIONAL RADIO THAT DAY. ARRIVING AT A DIFFERENT SEASON SO THE FIELDS; TREES; CROPS AND SURROUNDING AREAS WERE DIFFERENT COLORS. PLT FACTORS: FAILURE TO LAND ENRTE AND REFUEL. TRUSTING ON VISUAL ACQUISITION OF THE RWY. FAILURE TO ANTICIPATE THE NEED TO CIRCLE FOR RWY ACQUISITION. CONTINUING TO LOOK AND OMIT THE FUEL SIT FROM DECISION LIST. NOT DIVERTING TO AN APPROPRIATE LNDG AREA AT THE CORRECT 'BINGO' FUEL LEVEL. HOW WOULD I PREVENT FUTURE OCCURRENCES? DON'T DSND TO MINIMUM ALT AND SEARCH FOR A REMOTE LNDG AREA. FUEL FLOW INCREASES AND YOUR OPTIONS QUICKLY BEGIN TO DECREASE. FINALLY; I WILL TREAT THE VFR FUEL REQUIREMENTS WITH THE SAME SERIOUSNESS THAT THE IFR RESERVE WARRANTS. THIS PROVED IMPORTANT ON A BRIGHT SUNNY DAY WITH OVER 10 MI VISIBILITY.