Service difficulty report · Tube · Piper PA31350

Difficulty date
November 25, 2010
Submitted
March 15, 2011
Operation
Air carrier
Make and model
Piper PA31350
Aircraft time
12,723 hours
Engine
Lyc LTIO540J2BD
Propeller
Hartzl HCE3YR2
System (JASC)
3245 · Tire Tube
Part
Tube
Part number
XA1AD
Condition
Unserviceable
Location
Tire
Stage of operation
NR
How discovered
V
Nature of condition
O
Precautionary procedure
O

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

What was found

TIRE FLAT AFTER LANDING RUNWAY 34. THIS IS THE 2ND INCIDENT OF A FAILED NOSE TIRE THIS WEEK. SUPPLIER SUSPECTS THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS THAT THE TUBE IS MFG WITH SYNTHETIC RUBBER AND NOT NATURAL RUBBER. IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES CONDITIONS SUCH AS THE COLD TEMPERATURES, WOULD CAUSE THE TUBE TO FAIL. IT WAS FOUND AFTER DISASSEMBLY THAT THE TUBE HAD FAILED ON THE SIDE WALL WITH ONLY A SMALL CUT REMAINING VISIBLE. A NEW REPLACEMENT TUBE MADE OF NATURAL RUBBER WAS FOUND AND INSTALLED. THE REMAINING WHEEL ASSEMBLIES IN STOCK WILL HAVE THE REPLACEMENT TUBE INSTALLED AND THE PERFORMANCE OF THE REPLACEMENT TUBE WILL BE MONITORED.

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