19950312008899I

Narrative: on Sunday morning 12 March, I preflighted the cherokee 235 and visually saw both main tanks full and dipsticked both tip tanks at approximately 8 gallons estimating a fuel load of 66 gallons. I sampled for moisture from all 4 tank drains as well as the common drain amidship under the wing. No dirt or water was evident. I started the engine on the left main and after engine runup, takeoff and climbout switched to the left tip tank which indicated approximately 8 gallons. I secured the fuel pump and headed south sightseeing. Approximately 18 minutes into the flight and just ending a tightly banked right turn while reversing course the engine rapidly started to lose turns. I leveled the wings, went full rich thinking I might have leaned it too much but the EGT was looking good around 1450 degrees, while lowering the nose I noted normal fuel pressure, but put the boost pump on anyway, noted approximately 5 gallons on the left tip, 8 gallons right tip, and full 25 gals on both mains. I cycled the throttle a couple times to check the linkage and got a minor surge of power each application. I decided to shift to the left main tank still trying to analyze whether it was fuel in terruption or mechanical engine failure of some sort like mags. I checked that the mags were on both. While doing all this I was passing through approximately 1000' AGL and in mountainous terrain with no suitable landing fields or surfaces except AZ highway 95 directly under my right wing. As I descended rapidly, windmilling, I noted a long interval between traffic and headed toward it. I thought about engaging the starter but the prop was turning enough that I thought it might only damage the prop gearing and the rotation was sufficient to start if the conditions were there. I rocked my wings as I passed ahead of the northbound traffic and eased over to land ahead of them, advanced about 1/2 mile. As I passed through approximately 50' the engine appeared to be coming to life as the RPM started to increase and I had to throttle back in the flare. I momentarily thought that all might be well and a simple touch and go would suffice but considering the terrain and the possibility of not finding another window of opportunity to land again, I decided to unwind again, I elected to exercise my prerogative of a precautionary landing and check it out thoroughly. Roll out was smooth and no danger, as no oncoming traffic was within a mile or so. I taxied up to a wide spot on the right berm and set the parking brake, shut down the engine which was idling fairly well, secured the cockpit and jumped out to seek help to park the aircraft off the highway. A gentleman assisted me and since the berm sloped, it left the aircraft on a steep angle, right wing low, I had to borrow a 5 gallon plastic bucket and place it under the overflow drain of the lower right wing main tank. In exiting the aircraft in a hurry I turned off the mags, master, mixture, but hadn't gotten the fuel selector off, failing to get it past the detent tab as it had stopped in the left tip position. This was permitting the high left tip tank fuel to flow through the selector, over filling the mains, especially the right and causing the overflow condition. After I secured it, I checked the fuel quantities visually and had still a couple gallons in the left tip, approx. 8 gals in the right tip and overfull in both the mains, the right main tank actually trickling a couple gallons into the bucket. Using a passerby's cellular, I requested a mechanic from the nearest airport, to check out the aircraft for airworthiness prior to considering further flight. The mechanic, an ai, showed up shortly and checked the tanks for moisture and quantity level aggravated by the abrupt steep reversing turn. Following an engine runup, satisfactory mag checks and with clearance assistance from the highly cooperative dps officers, I was permitted to taxi up the load, reverse into the wind and attempt a high power runup and ultimate takeoff. We had prearranged that they would stop and hold up the road traffic a few minutes to provide me an emergency site after takeoff, if troubles developed and also to give me time to climb overhead sufficiently to gain enough altitude to glide if necessary to the nearest suitable field, havasu palms a dirt strip. All went well and I climbed to approximately 8000' before turning north to over fly havasu palms, the old lake havasu city muni (hii) home plate. Subsequent flights, with fuller tanks have not experienced any problems. My plan in the future is to only burndown the tip tank fuel while cruising at a higher altitude and utilize the tips only on cross countries or while only balancing the fuel load.