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TIRE FAILURE
Two distinctive aspects: Tire failure on takeoff and/or tire failure on landing. Second aspect is
more or less the consequence of the first one!
Tire bursting incidents occur regularly.
You should read Tires Burst and What you know about you tires articles in the SmartCockpit
Flight Ops section (subsection Aircraft Systems & Instruments).
Prior to 80 knots, the takeoff should be rejected for any tire failure.
If the crew suspects a tire failure during takeoff, the ATS facility serving the departing airport
should be advised of the potential for tire pieces remaining on the runway. The crew should
consider continuing to the destination unless there is an indication that other damage has
occurred (non-normal engine indications, engine vibrations, hydraulic system failures or leaks,
etc.).
Continuing to the destination will allow the airplane weight to be reduced normally, and provide
the crew an opportunity to plan and coordinate their arrival and landing when the workload is low.
Considerations in selecting a landing airport include, but are not limited to:
- Sufficient runway length and acceptable surface conditions to account for the possible loss of
braking effectiveness;
- Sufficient runway width to account for possible directional control difficulties;
- Altitude and temperature conditions that could result in high ground speeds on touchdown and
adverse taxi conditions;
- Runway selection options regarding "taxi-in" distance after landing;
- Availability of operator maintenance personnel to meet the airplane after landing to inspect the
wheels, tires, and brakes before continued taxi;
- Availability of support facilities should the airplane need repair.
Boeing airplanes are designed so that the landing gear and remaining tire(s) have adequate
strength to accommodate a flat nose gear tire or main gear tire.
Once the nose gear is down, vibration levels may be affected by increasing or decreasing control
column back pressure.
With a single tire failure, towing is not necessary unless unusual vibration is noticed or other
failures have occurred.
Monitor fuel leak (hard aircraft debris could damage the lower part of the wings)
After takeoff and > MSA, take up the hold to evaluate potential structural damage.
Ask yourself the good questions: « If vibrations stopped on initial lift-off, it is maybe a nose landing
gear tire burst », « On which side of the aircraft did I feel vibrations? »
Use differential braking as required for directional control. With a single tire failure, towing is not
necessary unless unusual vibration is noticed or other failures have occurred.
- Slowly and gently lower the - Flat main gear tire(s) cause(s) a
nose wheel to the runway while general loss of braking
braking lightly. effectiveness and a yawing
- Once the nose gear is down, moment toward the flat tire with
Special technique vibration levels may be light or no braking and a yawing
affected by increasing or moment away from the flat tire if
decreasing control column the brakes are applied harder.
back pressure.
- Maintain nose gear contact
with the runway.
Note: Extended taxi distances or fast taxi speeds can cause significant increases in temperatures
on the remaining tires.
Do not rush while experiencing a tire failure (without fire) on takeoff: assess aircraft status and
always wait to be > 400 feet before any action.