Westwind wheel failure

[Capt1124]

I was flying a Westwind the other day, or actually I was PIC in the right seat doing line training.

We were about to taxi on to the runway and bam, the plane lurches to the left and stops. I thought the PF but he looks out and says we have blown a tire.

Long story short, the tire was fine, the wheel had cracked all the way around its circumference, causing the tire to lose pressure. The mechanics had never seen anything like this before.

Had this happened at high speed on the runway it would have been in the news, and I'm very glad it wasn't.

I have never had a high speed tire failure in the sim, but this is a more likely event than an engine failure and more dangerous.

Please keep this in mind and be careful.

 

[LJ45]

when was the last time it was NDT? Was it NDT at last tire change?

Very luck it happen when it did. I would ask the above questions about maintenance.

 

[flyzimex]

Similar experience

I had a similar experience in a C-401 once. I had just landed at a very short strip and after doing a 180 I was back taxiing to the ramp. All of a sudden the plane weered 90 degrees to the right and wouldn't move another inch. The passengers thought we had busted a tire but I never hard a bang. Stepped out of the airplane and realized the entire wheel was twisted 90 degrees.

The mechanics came and took a look and it turned out a pin had come out allowing a locking nut to unscrew itself.

Boy if that had happened a couple of seconds sooner just after touchdown .

And yes, if anyone wonders, I had of course done a preflight. These were very old airplanes doing around 20 sectors a day island hopping in the Carib.

FZ

 

[AV8OR]

Had a similar experience out of JFK years ago. Pull onto the runway. Nose whell steering fails. Apparently somewhere along the way hairline fracture occured in the sissors and it failed right before takeoff. Shudder to think the affect at V-1-10.

Like the Westwind though. Great a/c for the money. Slow but at the time long legs and 2nd Seg climb beyond competitors.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

Not an "uncommon" problem on Westwinds, we used to have ours checked frequently. We used Duncan in Battle Creek and they were a good group.

That plane is getting VERY old. The oxygen bottle issues a while back were my personal favorite....
:0

 

[SpaceBall 1]

I manged a flight department with a Westwind for 5 years and flew the beast for a total of 8. Loved the jet, but all that weight on a single main was always a concern. I sent all my mains to AAR for overhaul. When the skin was worn out, I'd demate it and send them the wheel halves and bolts. All to NDT'd, mount a new skin on ship it back. It also made my tire changes go much faster at home base since it was already built up. Plus, they look like new when you put them on the jet!

Definitly do a tire failure in the sim. I had all my new pilots experience it. If I remeber correctly, it was a real handful (or foot-ful) from 60knts to about 100knts. Above 100, you have good aerodynamic control, below 60 differential brake and she stopped pretty fast. We practiced a few above V1 and continued, it was interesting (no so on the landing) although I don't know if I would do that in the "real world". Depends on how much runway I have left in front of me.

Fly safe and thanks for the heads up to everyone.