Kevin Kubiak wrote:
Strange thing happened to me earlier this week (monday).
I flew from home base at KUGN to KDBQ with a friend
for a quick stop and then we were planning to fly up the Mississippi
to look for some fall colors.

Had a nice clear day with light winds. So we land at DBQ, I taxi over
to the
FBO for a quick pit stop. Got back in the plane, got ATIS, contacted
ground and
given taxi instruction to 36. So I'm # 2 in line, just finish mag check
and
now I'm # 1. Start to move forward and seemed like the pedals were hare
to steer. I quickly think I got a flat nosewheel, and shut down the
engine, worried
that I might strike the prop. Anyway, contact ground told them on
problem and plane behind me says yep it is flat.

FBO sends a truck to fill the tire, but the air rushed out almost as
fast as it
entered. SO we now need a tow back to FBO. 2.5 hrs later I have new
tire and tube and we are off back to KUGN. Luckily I take the old tire
& tube back. Since the plane is owned by the club I'm a member in.

The general manager said I will be reimbursed for the repair, but was
curious about the flat. I was too since the tire looked to be
relatively new.
In fact it was only replaced 2 weeks prior. The problem apparently was
that
some of the steel cord must have popped up through the tires sidewall
and punctured the tub. If you rub your hand over the inside you can
feel the steel
wire protruding through the sidewall.

Does this kind of thing happen frequently. Did I over react by
shutting down the engine, but I was really did not want to add a prop
strike
to ruin my day?

Could side load or bad landings, bouncing on the nose cause such a failure?
My landing just prior to the this occurring was fine, mains first, then
slowly
down on the nose. Just curious. Also, what would happen if the tire
went flat
during flight? I guess I would know the minute the nose settled on the
runway.
If that happened, all I could do is hold the nose off by pulling back on
the yolk.

Kevin Kubiak PP-ASEL
I had the misfortune of having 2 (separate) in-flight flats. The first
was the right main. In pre-flight i saw it was low and added air. After
a 45 min. flight as soon as I touched down the plane pulled hard right
with a pile of vibration. Threw down the right aileron and held it for
the rest of the ride & used all the left brake i had to keep it on the
runway. Tire shredded- wheel "phew" was fine. April 15th,2002 I had just
failed my ppl checkride on lost procedures 2 hours prior. Baaaad day.

The second time was the nosewheel. In pre-flight i told my the co-owner
"I'm going to get us a new tire for that nose, it's starting to look
barefoot". We took off and in the pattern heard a strange noise
"vibration" & decided to land. As soon as the nose touched violent
vibration- pulled all the way back on the yoke - no brakes & rode it
out.tire shredded, again no prop strike or wheel damage. those were in a
warrior. we now have a Cherokee six with new rubber all the way around -
imagine why?
btw -i'm pretty good at changing tires.