Anatomy Of Failure

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.

Key Takeaways:

• An F-16 experienced significant wheel damage after its tire failed due to a puncture from foreign object debris (FOD), likely a screw.
• FOD-induced tire failures are a serious safety concern for all aircraft, not just high-performance jets.
• FOD often originates from maintenance activities, with incidents peaking during spring construction and winter operations due to snow and ice.

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