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Landing with flat tire

n5lp

n5lp

fugio ergo sum
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Thought I would report this just as a data point. I had the left main tire go completely flat during a short flight today. I made my normal three point landing and could immediately tell that something was amiss but the airplane was completely controllable and I even taxied down the runway to the turnoff and turned to clear the runway in the direction opposite of the flat. Took lots of throttle to taxi and of course the tube was destroyed. but the wheel pant seems fine.

It was time for new tires and tubes anyway.
 
Questions about Touchdown and Rollout with Flat Tire

Glad you landed safely. What was your estimated landing speed and flap setting? Any crosswind?

If you knew you were landing on a flat tire would you recommend any special landing techniques or runway selection?

Thanks!

Carl
 
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Wheel Pant

Larry, glad to hear you landed ok. I have often wondered if landing with a flat tire would cause any damage to the fairing, so your experience was of interest to me. Can you tell me how much clearance you provided between the wheel and the pant when you fit them? I recently had one of my fairings catch at the rear cutout and it broke a chunck out of it. Fortunately they haven't been painted yet. I'm in the process of repairing and enlarging the cutouts. I plan on opening it up another 1/4 " or so, which should bring it close to 1" at the front and back corners, where the tire is most likely to bulge on landing (or when flat as in your case).
 
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flytoday said:
Glad you landed safely. What was your estimated landing speed and flap setting? Any crosswind?
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The wind was a 20 degree left crosswind at about 8 knots. The left tire is the one that was flat. The approach speed was 65 knots so touchdown at maybe 60 knots or so.

flytoday said:
If you knew you were landing on a flat tire would you recommend any special landing techniques or runway selection?

Thanks!

Carl
Click to expand...

I think I would do it just as I did it this time except would try to avoid a crosswind from the direction of the flat. I like the idea of three point for tailwheel steering.

CFI1513840 said:
...Can you tell me how much clearance you provided between the wheel and the pant when you fit them?...
Click to expand...

The best I can remember I fit them so a finger could fit between the fairing and tire all around. I had to open then up a bit when I started using retreads. With the flat, there is interference but it must not be too bad or maybe the interference is less when the tire is rotating.
 
CFI1513840 said:
....I plan on opening it up another 1/4 " or so, which should bring it close to 1" at the front and back corners, where the tire is most likely to bulge on landing....
Click to expand...

When faster-than-stock wheel fairings were developed for the Cessna 180, it was found that the bigger the gap, the slower the airplane. FYI.

Dave
 
I've had two flats on landing...

...both were non-events, though I had always imagined suddenly veering off the runway into the weeds. In both cases, the only way I knew I had a flat was how quickly I decelerated. No damage to the tire, rim, brake, or wheel pant, though I did put some scratches in the wheelpant. I could not taxi with the flat. I had to put the flatted wheel on a dolly and have the aircraft towed back to my hanger. I was lucky in both cases as the flats were at my home airport. I'm not sure what I would have done at a remote field without friends and friendly airport staff...

When I build my next RV-4 I will give up a little speed for more clearance between the wheelpants and the ground (and tires).
 
Dean Pichon said:
... I could not taxi with the flat. I had to put the flatted wheel on a dolly and have the aircraft towed back to my hanger. I was lucky in both cases as the flats were at my home airport. I'm not sure what I would have done at a remote field without friends and friendly airport staff...
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Uh me too. Sort of a helpless feeling. I think I could have taxied in but the noises sounded expensive and labor intensive. I could have changed the tire but that takes a long time out in the heat with airport security watching and lights flashing.

Aaron at Chandler Aviation was very helpful. They had never done anything like this but we ended up using their very expensive tug with a low dolly under the flat tire. We got the tire up on the dolly by lifting with our backs under the spar. I steered from the tail. Very nice guy and no charge. He backed it right into the hangar.
 
In some planes I've flown, they say put the flat tire on the centerline. Seems like it would apply in the Rv if it were to veer off in the direction of the flat but admittedly only gives you a few more feet to work with in this bird!
 
As Dean says...both were non-events, though I had always imagined suddenly veering off the runway into the weeds. In both cases, the only way I knew I had a flat was how quickly I decelerated. No damage to the tire, rim, brake, or wheel pant, though I did put some scratches in the wheelpant. I could not taxi with the flat. I had to put the flatted wheel on a dolly and have the aircraft towed back to my hanger. I was lucky in both cases as the flats were at my home airport. I'm not sure what I would have done at a remote field without friends and friendly airport staff...

Exactly my experience.
 
I landed with a flat main once that I was unaware of prior to touchdown. It veered pretty hard, but I had 100ft runway to work with. I was also pretty low time pilot at the time so maybe it could've been a little more controllable.
 
Me too

I've landed with a flat tire at Polly Ranch (21' wide) and didn't even notice until it decelerated and I had to apply power to get to our little taxiway. Of course, we are always on top of our game and dancing on the rudders when landing there.

Larry's post is an excellent datapoint for those who haven't experienced a flat tire as it is (at least, generally) a pretty non-event as long as you keep piloting the airplane all the way to the ramp....as we are taught. The experience for me was similar to having the tip-up canopy come open during climb out. If you know it is a minor event and just keep flying the airplane (hopefully back into the pattern and landing), you'll be fine.
 
First Pax flight - landed with flat tyre

Glad I got that out of the way it was a non event, my wife didn't notice too busy taking photos, must have been a greaser, but didn't taxi so good.

She didn't offer to get out and push... Just got out and abandoned pilot and aircraft...
 
Thanks Larry and all for sharing the story. My first set of tires were worn beyond recognition but I never experienced flat on landing. It may happen sooner then later I guess if counting places I am visiting :)
 
Tire Life Span????

I fitted my wheel pants very close to the tires and very low to the ground, so low that I do all my landings on the front mains and let the tail go down after most of the speed is bled off.
What I was wondering if anyone knows how long the tires will hold up under storage? It took me 11 years to build the plane so the tires look new but maybe I should be getting some new tubes and tires just as a preventative. I am sure a flat tire will destroy my wheel pants.
 
Vansrv7arob said:
Glad I got that out of the way it was a non event, my wife didn't notice too busy taking photos, must have been a greaser, but didn't taxi so good.

She didn't offer to get out and push... Just got out and abandoned pilot and aircraft...
Click to expand...

Rob, I think I'm married to your wife's sister.
 
Funny thing her sister is married to a Jim, but unfortunately not a pilot ;( hehe there's not too much variation to the bred though...
 
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