Flat tire at unattended airport

Cardinalguy

Cardinalguy

Pre-Flight
Joined
Nov 8, 2016
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85
Location
Eagar, AZ
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Stephen Nanny
Yesterday I went and did some t&g's at a neighboring airport, returned to the home drone and had a flat tire after touchdown. Plane is stuck on the left side of the runway and won't budge, landed on the numbers so was a good 1/2 -3/4 of a mile from the hangar. Airport manager is gone until Monday and not a soul on the airport. (typical around here) I leave the plane on the runway and hike back to the community hangar my plane resides in and get the tractor and tow bar they have for moving aircraft. Towed the plane back where it belongs and call it a day.
Got me thinking, what if that happened somewhere without being able to access the tractor and the airport is unattended which is quite possible around here. Who do you call to get it off the runway?
 
There should always be a contact number for the legal airport manager available online, its part of the master record for the airport. Barring that, I would contact the local law enforcement and they should be able to find a responsible party.
 
Cardinalguy said:
Yesterday I went and did some t&g's at a neighboring airport, returned to the home drone and had a flat tire after touchdown. Plane is stuck on the left side of the runway and won't budge, landed on the numbers so was a good 1/2 -3/4 of a mile from the hangar. Airport manager is gone until Monday and not a soul on the airport. (typical around here) I leave the plane on the runway and hike back to the community hangar my plane resides in and get the tractor and tow bar they have for moving aircraft. Towed the plane back where it belongs and call it a day.
Got me thinking, what if that happened somewhere without being able to access the tractor and the airport is unattended which is quite possible around here. Who do you call to get it off the runway?
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FAA to report the runway obstructed. Local tow company to help with the airplane?
 
AAA Runway Service?


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[Ask me how I know]

Carry a can of Fix-a flat. Most light planes are tube and tire, so you can use the fix a flat to air it up and get it clear of the runway until the correct repair can be made.

I would not recommend towing on a flat main, unless of course you put it on a roller board. No guessing what they'll find when they split the rim and see what the drag loads have done.

Then comes the discussion of the cause of the flat. Did you skid it, or miss the thread condition on preflight?
 
Usually the result of the runway FOD inspection being improperly done at either the departure or destination, or improper use of brakes.
 
Tubes wear out. They’re not like the level of discourteousness and incivility of PoA, which, of course, hath no limits. ;)

So, sometimes ya just gotta improvise or make things happen with the best available options. Sounds like the OP did well.
 

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Pinched valve stems on these tube type tires are also common. I had one, solution is keep the suckers somewhat overinflated at all times. If you're letting the tire look sagged to any degree, you're inviting a pinched stem away from home. They're just that non-resilient to internal skidding/pinching when underinflated to any degree ime.
 
hindsight2020 said:
Pinched valve stems on these tube type tires are also common. I had one, solution is keep the suckers somewhat overinflated at all times. If you're letting the tire look sagged to any degree, you're inviting a pinched stem away from home. They're just that non-resilient to internal skidding/pinching when underinflated to any degree ime.
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Yep. Low inflation is bad on valve stems. You can shear them off. Depending on the airplane and pilot, that can send you on Mr. Toad's wild ride.
 
hindsight2020 said:
Pinched valve stems on these tube type tires are also common. I had one, solution is keep the suckers somewhat overinflated at all times. If you're letting the tire look sagged to any degree, you're inviting a pinched stem away from home. They're just that non-resilient to internal skidding/pinching when underinflated to any degree ime.
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This is especially true with the smaller tires (11x4.00-5) on my Lancair. I have had probably at least 5 flats. It got to the point I could predict when it would occur by looking at the tire on preflight. One has to keep 50 psi or better it seems on these to prevent the tube from getting pinched between the rim and tire upon landing.
 
Unattended?...like KCDK?
Seems once or twice a year someone flatspots a tire to flatness with aggressive braking on this short runway. They’ve always been able to taxi or with local assist to tow bar the plane off the runway to where it’s out of the way and call the Flight School or a relative to retrieve them until a replacement can be effected. I’ve seen some pretty long taxis on flats - wheels amazingly held up OK.
There’s unattended and then there’s KCDK - no services beyond the Port-a-Potty.
 
kyleb said:
FAA to report the runway obstructed.
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Better off finding the manager's number. The FAA will not issue a NOTAM based on a pilot's call, if you could even find the right person to call. Only the airport manager or authorized representative can issue NOTAMs.

Odds are, who ever you find to talk to at the FAA is going to be like, "Uh...ok?"
 
Lachlan said:
Tubes wear out. They’re not like the level of discourteousness and incivility of PoA, which, of course, hath no limits. ;)

So, sometimes ya just gotta improvise or make things happen with the best available options. Sounds like the OP did well.
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Looks like it was flat only on one side.
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I had a problem at an airport with everything closed up and no one in sight. Called the manager on a number I found posted. Turns out he was "at the lake" but he suggested I go knock on a nearby door to see if his maintenance guy was home. He was, he loaned me some tools and gave me a bolt, not too long and I was back on my way.
 
I've changed tires in the middle of taxiways before. Keep a spare tube with you and call a tow truck for a jack and an air tank. Depending on the plane, you might not even need the jack. The Navion (and probably other low wings), it just takes one or two people to put their backs to the wing to raise it enough to throw a 4x4 under the gear leg.
 
flyingron said:
I've changed tires in the middle of taxiways before. Keep a spare tube with you and call a tow truck for a jack and an air tank. Depending on the plane, you might not even need the jack. The Navion (and probably other low wings), it just takes one or two people to put their backs to the wing to raise it enough to throw a 4x4 under the gear leg.
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That's good if you carry a 4x4.
 
During night flight qualifications,got a flat,Luckily another plane landed after me. He had a golf cart and together we got the airplane off the runway,into the grass. Came back in the morning,had it towed and tire repaired.
 
I had a tire slowly go flat on me after landing while taxiing to my hangar. When I goosed the throttle to spin 90 deg to point my tail at the door, she wouldn't come around. Got out and took a look, and the wheel had settled such that I couldn't get a screwdriver on the bottom screw of the wheel pants. Glad it happened right in front of my hangar, at the far end of a row, where it wouldn't block anyone. Would definitely be a bad situation away from home. I was also unable to budge the plane to try to get to the valve stem up inside the pant, so I was well and truly hosed....
 
Well, my mechanic and I got the tire fixed this weekend. The tube had a small hole on the sidewall where there was a fold in the tube from improper installation. Had to replace the tire as some of the cords had separated, probably from me towing it back to the hangar while flat. I'm going to patch the tube and keep the tire as a spare for getting off the runway if needed. Also a can of Fix a Flat may have been enough to to get it moved as so I'm going to keep some in the plane. Thanks everyone for all the comments and advise.
 
Cardinalguy said:
The tube had a small hole on the sidewall where there was a fold in the tube from improper installation.
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I would buy that if it was only in service for a few flights. If it has been in service for many flights I would suspect it was low on air which in turn allowed the tire to flex upon touchdown pinching the tube between the rim and tire bead.
 
wrbix said:
Urge caution - make sure the fuse on that circuit is up to the task. Mine wasn’t.
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Interesting point. I have lots of spare fuses, so maybe a ground based check is in order.
 
A load analysis is always a good idea when planning to add electrical devices. Determine existing current draw on the circuit, then add the amperage of the new device. A little more math involved, but maybe a little wiser than the "plug 'til it pops" method.

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Shepherd said:
I carry a kit and a couple extra cartridges made for motorcycles in my bag.
Cheap, lightweight and highly effective.
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I’ve got a couple for the 29er MTB, too. More than enough to get a pinch flat back up to 30psi or more.
 
midwestpa24 said:
Better off finding the manager's number. The FAA will not issue a NOTAM based on a pilot's call, if you could even find the right person to call. Only the airport manager or authorized representative can issue NOTAMs.

Odds are, who ever you find to talk to at the FAA is going to be like, "Uh...ok?"
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Actually, Flight Service will issue a notam based a report from a pilot if airport management can't be contacted.

Order 7930.2S
5−1−2. HANDLING REPORTED AERODROME CONDITIONS

a. Copy any information received verbally, and record the name, title (if appropriate), address, and telephone number of the person submitting the information. Information obtained from other than an authorized airport or FAA employee must be confirmed before issuance. If you are informed of or observe a condition that affects the safe use of a movement area, relay the information to the airport management for action. NOTE− This includes data received from airport inspectors.

b. If unable to contact airport management, classify and issue a NOTAM publicizing the unsafe condition always stating the condition and including the word “UNSAFE;” for example, RWY number or TWY letter or letter/number “UNSAFE DISABLED ACFT.” Inform airport management of the action taken as soon thereafter as practical.

c. (U) – Unverified aeronautical information (for use only where authorized by letters of agreement). Movement area or other information received that meets NOTAM criteria and has not been confirmed by the airport manager or designee. If Flight Service is unable to contact airport management, Flight Service must forward (U) NOTAM information to the NS. Subsequent to NS distribution of a (U) NOTAM, Flight Service will inform airport management of the action taken as soon as practical. Any such NOTAM will preface the keyword with “(U)” and must include the condition and cause.​
 
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