Jerry Pressley Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Just flew a really nice, impeccable maintained Mooney from western Missouri to nc. The owner checked it out before permitting it to leave and noticed the nose tire was a couple pounds low. He aired it up to recommended pressure. I cranked up and taxied 5 feet when the nose wheel exploded. Half the wheel hit a mechanics ankle and though no real damage he is still favoring that. Upon examination it was evident the wheel had been cracked for some time. How many annuals get wheels disassembled for inspection. Years ago there was a man in Virginia who wanted to be an airplane mechanic. He went to one of the guaranteed courses where he spent a solid 3 months trying to pass the written. Normal is one week max. The school tried to refund his money but he wanted to be a mechanic so he started going on weekends. Took him more than a year but he finally passed. A year later the FAA visited his shop and he actually had the wheels off and talcum powdering the tires and tubes and had his scales out weighing wheel half and each tire, tube and valve stem and valve cover. I don't know what he was comparing them with but the FAA was so impressed that they gave him the equivalent of a field promotion and made him an IA. Afterwards an annual inspection took 6 weeks solid work and equivalent price. Those not knowing better flocked to him. For first annual................ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
201er Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Did the prop hit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 (edited) 2 hours ago, 201er said: Did the prop hit? We have 9-10" prior clearance. Nose wheel is 5.00 x 5, the sidewall can't be more than 3" high. I don't see the pucks compressing even an inch. So even if the tire is 4" high, the prop can't hit. Oops, the wheel blew. Add another 2-1/2" to sidewall height, puts it ~5-1/2", still shouldn't hit. Edited October 22, 2017 by Hank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carusoam Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 One of the design criterion is to allow the nose tire to be flat and still protect the prop from a strike. Not sure where I read this tidbit... so many things can affect the outcome. But, losing a tire on smooth level ground at taxi speed, your prop should be safe... a simple hole in the ground that breaks the tire, might be enough of a problem to cause a prop strike as well... I went super slow transitioning from grass to pavement today. I pre-selected The Best transition spot, walking on the line looking for holes to avoid before getting started-up... Best regards, -a- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronDC8402 Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 11 hours ago, Hank said: We have 9-10" prior clearance. Nose wheel is 5.00 x 5, the sidewall can't be more than 3" high. I don't see the pucks compressing even an inch. So even if the tire is 4" high, the prop can't hit. Oops, the wheel blew. Add another 2-1/2" to sidewall height, puts it ~5-1/2", still shouldn't hit. Keep in mind the plane will pivot on the mains, and the prop is well in front of the nose wheel. It's not a 1:1 height relation of nose wheel to prop clearance. I'm also curious to hear if there was a strike. I'm guessing no, but I bet it was close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_elliott Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 17 hours ago, acpartswhse said: A year later the FAA visited his shop and he actually had the wheels off and talcum powdering the tires and tubes and had his scales out weighing wheel half and each tire, tube and valve stem and valve cover. I don't know what he was comparing them with but the FAA was so impressed that they gave him the equivalent of a field promotion and made him an IA I had no idea they could parker pen in an IA certification like that Jerry. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Pressley Posted October 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Did get the prop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry Pressley Posted October 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 Guvviment ain't they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N6758N Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 21 hours ago, mike_elliott said: I had no idea they could parker pen in an IA certification like that Jerry. Pretty sure that can't happen. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_elliott Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 2 hours ago, N6758N said: Pretty sure that can't happen. That sure was my thinking, just curious why Jerry would say it did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 On 2017-10-21 at 11:13 PM, carusoam said: One of the design criterion is to allow the nose tire to be flat and still protect the prop from a strike. Not sure where I read this tidbit... so many things can affect the outcome. But, losing a tire on smooth level ground at taxi speed, your prop should be safe... a simple hole in the ground that breaks the tire, might be enough of a problem to cause a prop strike as well... I went super slow transitioning from grass to pavement today. I pre-selected The Best transition spot, walking on the line looking for holes to avoid before getting started-up... Best regards, -a- With all of that said, it should be impossible to prop strike a Mooney or Cirrus, yet they are done routinely without a flat tire. Clarence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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