These three photographs document the damage to the F-16s wheel (top) and tire (middle). Most of the wheel damage occurred when it struck a slightly elevated lip in the runway pavement at around 100 knots, well after the tire had failed. Remains of the tire include its circular bead structure and what was found of its tread and sidewalls.
An F-16's tire failed due to a puncture from Foreign Object Debris (FOD), likely a screw, leading to subsequent wheel damage upon striking a runway lip.
FOD poses a significant risk to all aircraft tires, including personal airplanes, as a failure at the wrong time can lead to dangerous incidents.
FOD often originates from small objects left behind during maintenance (addressable by tool control programs) and typically peaks during early spring construction activities and winter operations in snow and ice.
These three photographs document the damage to the F-16s wheel (top) and tire (middle). Most of the wheel damage occurred when it struck a slightly elevated lip in the runway pavement at around 100 knots, well after the tire had failed. Remains of the tire include its circular bead structure and what was found of its tread and sidewalls.
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