What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was being flown with a patient on board from ksad to kiwa. Pilot reported a normal touchdown on runway 30C, then as aircraft approached the taxi way a vibration in the nose was felt. As the aircraft slowed, the pilot stated that he saw smoke coming from the front of the aircraft. As the aircraft stopped, the pilot stated that he saw fire coming from the front of the aircraft. The pilot, med-crew and patient then exited the aircraft with no injuries. Kiwa fire department extinguished the nose tire fire.
The pilot reported that he had pre-flighted the aircraft prior to flying to ksad and did a post-flight inspection while waiting for the med-crew to bring the patient to the aircraft and did not see anything wrong with the nose tire. Runway conditions at the time of the accident were dry with calm winds.
A review of the aircraft revealed that no damage that would indicate FOD or a failure could be seen on the nose tire. (Tire was on fire however) the nose wheel assembly was ground down almost to the wheel bearings. The wheel bearings were not frozen but had indications of corrosion on one side and possible improper grease being used. (This did not seem to be casual due to the bearings still being able to rotate) an inspection of the nose gear did not reveal any discrepancies.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN WITH A PATIENT ON BOARD FROM KSAD TO KIWA. PILOT REPORTED A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 30C, THEN AS AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE TAXI WAY A VIBRATION IN THE NOSE WAS FELT. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW FIRE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT, MED-CREW AND PATIENT THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH NO INJURIES. KIWA FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE NOSE TIRE FIRE.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD PRE-FLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO FLYING TO KSAD AND DID A POST-FLIGHT INSPECTION WHILE WAITING FOR THE MED-CREW TO BRING THE PATIENT TO THE AIRCRAFT AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE NOSE TIRE. RUNWAY CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE DRY WITH CALM WINDS.
A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT NO DAMAGE THAT WOULD INDICATE FOD OR A FAILURE COULD BE SEEN ON THE NOSE TIRE. (TIRE WAS ON FIRE HOWEVER) THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS GROUND DOWN ALMOST TO THE WHEEL BEARINGS. THE WHEEL BEARINGS WERE NOT FROZEN BUT HAD INDICATIONS OF CORROSION ON ONE SIDE AND POSSIBLE IMPROPER GREASE BEING USED. (THIS DID NOT SEEM TO BE CASUAL DUE TO THE BEARINGS STILL BEING ABLE TO ROTATE) AN INSPECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT REVEAL ANY DISCREPANCIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N130TT · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.