Tires And Tubes

The following is derived from maintenance facility submissions to the FAA’s Service Difficulty Reports database.

Aviation Safety

Saturday, November 09, 2024 at 06:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: Omar Filipovic

Key Takeaways:

Multiple reports detail premature failures or defects in new or low-hour aircraft tires, including defective retreads exhibiting bulges, air gaps, or cracking even before use.
A fleet of Learjet 45s experienced widespread chronic issues with sidewall failures and blistering, leading to numerous tire replacements with sufficient tread remaining.
Several incidents involved internal tire defects, such as coarse inner surfaces, debonded balancing strips, or other manufacturing flaws, causing damage to inner tubes or air pressure loss.

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Cessna 172L Skyhawk

Defective Retread

New retread tire installed on aircraft. Three hours and four landings later, post-flight inspection revealed a bulge on inboard sidewall. Examination revealed an air gap of 0.375 to 0.5 inch depth between outer and inner surfaces. Gap area estimated 2-3 square inches. Groove was sliced open; outer rubber thickness at slice was less than 0.030 inch. Tire was shipped to me with 8130 release, but was not airworthy.

Part total time: 03.0 hours

Commander 114

Cracking Treads

Retreaded tires purchased October 2020 and installed March 2021 as additional work on the airplane was performed. In August 2023, tires have zero flight hours but are cracking between the tread channels and where the new material meets the older casing. These tires have never been used and in a hangar since purchased. They should not be cracking.

Part total time: 0.0 hours

Learjet 45

Sidewall Failures

Tire failure on departure. On landing at destination, noted the #3 tire (p/n 226k08-4) had a section missing from the inboard sidewall and there was a large dent in the flap just aft. This tire had 367 landings on it with plenty of tread remaining. We operate five Lear 45s and have had issues with these tires across the fleet. Over the past 12 months, we have replaced 20 of these tires due to failure or blistering in the sidewalls.

Part total time: Unknown

Pilatus PC-12/47E

Debonded Nosewheel Tire

Crew reported a slight nose wheel shimmy on landing. Examination revealed a debonded rubber strip of the tire was loose inside the wheel. We were told this is used by the tire manufacturer to balance the tire during production.

Part total time: 616.0 hours

Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee 140

Inner Abrasion

Main tire was found flat parked in the hangar. Inspected tube and found hole in sidewall location on the tube caused by the coarse surface inside the tire.

Part total time: 244.0 hours

Piper PA-46R-350T Matrix

Inner Abrasion II

Tire lost air pressure in run-up area. Examination revealed tire interior to have a defect that causes inner tubes to slowly leak. Replaced tire and tube.

Part total time: 98.0 hours.