Service difficulty report · Tube · Piper PA44180

Difficulty date
February 9, 2014
Submitted
February 10, 2014
Operation
General aviation
Aircraft
N440PA
Make and model
Piper PA44180
Aircraft serial
4496084
Aircraft time
8,318 hours
Engine
Lyc O360A1H6
Propeller
Hartzl HCC2YR2
System (JASC)
3245 · Tire Tube
Part
Tube
Part number
0923080
Condition
Leaking
Location
Nlg Tire
Stage of operation
TX
How discovered
O
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

BETWEEN FLIGHTS, THE ACFT NOSE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED WITH A BUILT UP WHEEL ASSY. THE FLAT WHEEL ASSY WAS DISASSEMBLED AND TUBE INSPECTED; THIS REVEALED A SMALL HOLE IN THE TUBE, ABOUT .01" LONG. CLOSER INSPECTION SHOWS A VERY TINY BUBBLE IN THE TUBE MATERIAL, LIKE A BUBBLE IN SODA. THIS TUBE WAS INSTALLED ON THE ACFT AS PART OF A BUILT-UP WHEEL ASSY ON 9/26/2013 AND HAD ACCRUED 194.2 HOURS TIS. THE TIRE WAS SERVICED ONLY WITH DRY NITROGEN.

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