Flat Tire!

duc750sport

duc750sport

Pre-takeoff checklist
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duc750sport
So, I flew for about 90 minutes the other day which included some pattern work at two different airports. Pretty much a non event.. When I got back to my home airport I was taxiing toward our parking area and out of the blue I just couldn't hold center line. I stopped and my passenger (A CFI) told me the right main was flat. Just got me thinking about how uncontrollable would the plane be on landing if it had happened sooner.. Anyone have any experience with this? I would guess opposite aileron to keep the weight off the flat?

As a side note it was pretty funny when I called ground to tell them and that I was shutting down on that specific taxiway they sent two of the enormous fire trucks!!
 
Yes, I've had the side of a metal rim fracture & cause a flat on landing. Was able to hold the plane on runway, but had to be towed off.
 
Yes. Fortunately, there was grass adjacent to the runway with no berm or other obstruction so the plane rolled onto the grass with no help from me.

Bob Gardner
 
there was a guy with a Cirrus at the Mooney Caravan Formation clinic in Yuma that had a blowout on landing, even more exciting they were landing in formation. He said it pulled pretty hard to the side of the dead tire, requiring a lot of rudder to keep straight, then a lot of differential braking as speed and rudder authority went down. Also said it slowed down much faster than normal. Other than that it wasn't a huge deal. He kept it on the runway and didn't get into the other plane landing along side.
 
Lost a nose wheel tire on landing in a twin,due to bearing failure in the nose wheel. Not a big deal. Never had a main gear tire go. Would imagine the handling could be a little difficult.
 
I landed a Cessna with a flat nose wheel as a student pilot. The CFI and I were out on a field practicing touch and goes and noticed it felt a little different. He looked and said the tire was going flat.

There was no maintenance there on the field because it was a sunday and no air. I did a soft field to head for home.

Mid-way there he asked if I though I could handle landing with a flat tire. I said yes. He gave me some guidance on doing it just like a soft field landing and keeping the nose up as long as possible.

Very uneventful. Probably one of my better landings as well.
 
I had a left main go flat in a borrowed Cirrus on landing. Pulled very hard to the left but was able to keep it on centerline with max right rudder and as much right brake as I felt I could give without locking it up. As it slowed, even full right brake wasn't enough and it slowly veered to the edge of the 40 ft wide runway. It really wasn't particularly challenging or dramatic though.
 
Been there -- 172 on landing.

Rolled off to the right of the runway but luckily didn't hit any of the lights and kept the yoke back full. No damage other than the tube/tire.
 
Had a left main go out once.

Hard pull and vibration to the left. I did keep it on the runway.
 
I have had three nose gear flats and two main gear flats. The one main gear flat was in the Baron, we departed the runway but missed all the runway lighting so none were a real issue
 
duc750sport said:
I stopped and my passenger (A CFI) told me the right main was flat. Just got me thinking about how uncontrollable would the plane be on landing if it had happened sooner.. Anyone have any experience with this? I would guess opposite aileron to keep the weight off the flat?
Click to expand...

Had a right main flat during landing with my CFII. He asked what the problem was as I was slowing and I told him the tire on his side was flat, he looked and said it wasn't. It was completely off the bead as I slowed to taxi speed and exited the runway. It pulls hard, but not a big deal.
 
I had a flat on the left main on a C-206 with tundra tires. As everyone else here described, I kept that tire off the ground as long as possible. When that huge tire hit the pavement, it did turn left. I landed as far right as I could. By the time it stopped I was on the center line and 90 degrees to the runway alignment.

I had called ahead to maintenance to let them know what was happening, notified the on field FSS, so everyone was ready. 10 minutes after stopping the mechanic had a new wheel and tire on the plane and we were off the runway.

And yes, they rolled the big, very big fire trucks for me. As usual, I got out and introduced myself to the guys and thanked them for coming out to keep my passengers safe.
 
danhagan said:
Had a right main flat during landing with my CFII. He asked what the problem was as I was slowing and I told him the tire on his side was flat, he looked and said it wasn't.
Click to expand...

It wasn't flat on the top wher he was looking
 
Lots of differential braking but not the end of the world.
 
duc750sport said:
So, I flew for about 90 minutes the other day which included some pattern work at two different airports. Pretty much a non event.. When I got back to my home airport I was taxiing toward our parking area and out of the blue I just couldn't hold center line. I stopped and my passenger (A CFI) told me the right main was flat. Just got me thinking about how uncontrollable would the plane be on landing if it had happened sooner.. Anyone have any experience with this? I would guess opposite aileron to keep the weight off the flat?

As a side note it was pretty funny when I called ground to tell them and that I was shutting down on that specific taxiway they sent two of the enormous fire trucks!!
Click to expand...

I blew a main just as I was about to rotate on takeoff one time. I chopped the power and fought to keep it on the runway (the ride got rough and the plane wanted to turn toward the flat). Got it stopped OK. The FBO at that uncontrolled airport was on the ball - after I told them the tire size on the radio, they came right out in a golf cart and fixed it where it sat!

Dave
 
Had friend land in Marsh Harbour recently with Lance that lost right main on landing. Was unable to keep it on runway, had prop strike light on way into grass beside runway. Was crazy muddy beside runway and front gear collapsed. When the ground crew tried to pull it backwards out of the mud, the right gear collapsed which bent wing. Needless to say, it was a total loss. All safe though.
 
It would be instructive if you folks that have had flat tires could let us know what the cause of the flat was, that is if it was determined. What should we be looking for on pre-flight inspection to avoid such an event?
 
duc750sport said:
So, I flew for about 90 minutes the other day which included some pattern work at two different airports. Pretty much a non event.. When I got back to my home airport I was taxiing toward our parking area and out of the blue I just couldn't hold center line. I stopped and my passenger (A CFI) told me the right main was flat. Just got me thinking about how uncontrollable would the plane be on landing if it had happened sooner.. Anyone have any experience with this? I would guess opposite aileron to keep the weight off the flat?

As a side note it was pretty funny when I called ground to tell them and that I was shutting down on that specific taxiway they sent two of the enormous fire trucks!!
Click to expand...

I flew XC between Chicago-Aurora (KARR) and Bloomington IL (KBMI) in a rented Cessna 162 back in March 2015. the takeoff, flight, landing and taxi a BMI were all normal and unremarkable. the taxi at BMI was fairly lengthy. upon my return to the FBO several hours later I discovered a flat nose wheel tire. the lineman tried adding air but it leaked nearly as fast as it was introduced. that plane wasn't going anywhere and I eventually ended up renting a car and driving home as no mechanic was on duty (late Saturday afternoon) and, as it turned out, a new tube had to be ordered. I never did learn what caused the tube to fail...the rental manager chalked it up to 'cheap Chinese crap'...but I'm very glad it didn't happen upon landing.
 
creweite said:
It would be instructive if you folks that have had flat tires could let us know what the cause of the flat was, that is if it was determined. What should we be looking for on pre-flight inspection to avoid such an event?
Click to expand...

Since they're all tube tires, you're probably not going to know it was about to fail, until it fails... Tube tires suck.

I made it to 1,000 hours without a tire issue. Now I usually end up with a flat tire about once a year. I've never lost one on the takeoff or landing roll yet. Always while taxing to the runway or taxing back from the runway.
 
creweite said:
It would be instructive if you folks that have had flat tires could let us know what the cause of the flat was, that is if it was determined. What should we be looking for on pre-flight inspection to avoid such an event?
Click to expand...
The OD of the tire surpassed the ID and all the air leaked out

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
 
tmyers said:
The OD of the tire surpassed the ID and all the air leaked out
Click to expand...

Spoken like an engineer.



Had two flats at different times on aero club trainers while getting my PPL. Have always heard it was from underpressured tubes and side loading. I felt like I made good landings at the time. Musta been the guy before me, right? In reality, I think sometimes they just wear out and have to die sometime. Just would prefer it not be on landing or TO. I do make sure to keep the pressures checked and up though. The old method of looking at the tires on preflight and thinking "looks good enough" may not be good enough.
 
I put new tubes in and had a main go flat in about a month. A small pin hole in the sidewall of the tube was the problem. Seems the tubes these day are just poor quality. Mine was made in Mexico. Ouch. The first main I have had go flat in 15 years. Luckily it happen in the hangar. :)
 
tmyers said:
The OD of the tire surpassed the ID and all the air leaked out

Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
That would be a fairly decent way of explaining an issue with a tubeless tire but not so with a tube tire.
 
creweite said:
It would be instructive if you folks that have had flat tires could let us know what the cause of the flat was, that is if it was determined. What should we be looking for on pre-flight inspection to avoid such an event?
Click to expand...

Mine was a nail in the tire. They were building new hangars near the FBO. I pre-flight rolling the plane forward-backward and it was fine before first take off. The owner indicated I'd be paying for it as it was new if it was flat spotted (which it wasn't). Mechanic showed the owner the nail ... which matched the ones being used in the construction area:rolleyes:
 
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