SDR 2008F00007

Service difficulty report · Tube · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
February 13, 2008
Submitted
February 16, 2008
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA31350
System (JASC)
3245 · Tire Tube
Part
Tube
Part number
650X10
Part serial
LY31436H
Condition
Mismanufactured
Location
Tire
Part time
1 hours, 1 cycles
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
K

As reported to the FAA. Reports are unverified, and codes are left as the FAA publishes them.

What was found

AFTER LANDING AND TAXI, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LT MAIN TIRE WAS FLAT. ON FURTHER INSP OF THE TUBE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SIDEWALL CONTAINED (2) PIN HOLES LOCATED WITHIN A FLAP OF RUBBER APPROXIMATELY 0.5 INCHES LONG. THIS IS THE LATEST OF TUBE FAILURES OF MFG INNERTUBES. ALL OF WHICH CONTAIN SMALL PINHOLES OR CRACKS IN EITHER THE SIDEWALL OR OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TUBE. SO FAR WE HAVE EXPERIENCED AT LEAST 18 FAILURES OF EITHER NOSE OR MAIN TUBES IN THE LAST 4 MONTHS WITH THIS PROBLEM. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MFG, AND AT THEIR SUGGESTION, WE HAVE REPLACED ALL INNERTUBES WITH INNERTUBES DESIGNATED AS "MADE IN USA". WE HAVE HAD NO FAILURES OF THE "MADE IN USA" TUBES AS OF THIS DATE. CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER AIR CARRIERS IN THE AREA HAVE REVEALED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THIS MFG INNERTUBES.

More about the Piper PA-31-350