T H A I Aircraft Tyre Bursts While Landing At Suvarnabhumi Airport Arriving From India

[Udox]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

Your comment is an insult to licensed aircraft engineers, who certify the airworthiness every time an aircraft takes off.

[biplanebluey]

Probably due to a heavy landing, (nose first), hope the checked they checked the nose gear before putting back into service.

Best ones are when they leave the parking break on for landing, thats 10 tyers to change and a big laundry bill for a full flight.

Sorry Basil but I think you better read up a little more on flight technology before posting on this topic again.The plane would not have been able to land with the brakes on !!! This sort of configuration has been with us for many years now -----Dougal the Kiwi

[Skydisc]

Probably due to a heavy landing, (nose first), hope the checked they checked the nose gear before putting back into service.

Best ones are when they leave the parking break on for landing, thats 10 tyers to change and a big laundry bill for a full flight.

Nose first landing is almost impossible. Landingspeed means flaps in landing position and wheels down with result nose up long before touch down.

Parking brakes on is not possible too because this will only be activated when the weight is on the wheels activated by the wow-switch (Weight On Wheels switch) in the landing gear bay. By the way, parking brakes are only working on the main gear, 8 wheels.

[dcutman]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

[Pimay1]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

Your comment is an insult to licensed aircraft engineers, who certify the airworthiness every time an aircraft takes off.

Only to those who certify the airworthiness. Did not apply to Ariana Airlines in the past. Maybe it does now. In 2002 I was at the Kabul airport waiting to board a Boeing 727 to Delhi that had been put together from parts of the bombed out 727s. They had to change a tire. It was sourced from the bone yard. Absolutely no tread, slick as an onion. But I will have to say the pilots of Ariana were superb. Flight smooth as silk.

[Pimay1]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

What you think, maybe the tire inflating crew had to eat first and were late?

[dcutman]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

What you think, maybe the tire inflating crew had to eat first and were late?

That is possible.

Apparently both the Captain and co-pilot where equally distracted,during their pre-flight check, as they discovered this issue after takeoff.

[metisdead]

A post criticizing a user's use of English has been removed. English is not always the first language of our members so don't waste space correcting other members' grammar and spelling where it isn't necessary.

Thanks

[negreanu]

Probably due to a heavy landing, (nose first), hope the checked they checked the nose gear before putting back into service.

Best ones are when they leave the parking break on for landing, thats 10 tyers to change and a big laundry bill for a full flight.

What a complete load of <deleted> from the first letter to the last.

Nose first heavy landing on airbus could be accomplished but rather more than a burst tyre.....

[BradinAsia]

There had been two x Thai A340's parked at Don Mueang airport for three weeks now, both with all the eight engines covered in red protection caps. They must be losing money with them out of service! Wonder what's up with them?

A few years ago THAI already admitted that the choice of A340 for the route forseen was a wrong one. Nice plane but with FOUR engines a bit expensive and very long distance has it carrying a lot of fuel as well. Unless you manage to get 90+ percent load factor with good paying passengers, it's difficult to make money on them. I think THAI is trying to sell the planes, but not much market demand.

BTW this plane is one of the lesser successes of Airbus. It's production has stopped as far as I know.

That's great info, but the aircraft in question is the A330. Not the A340.

[Andre0720]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

Your comment is an insult to licensed aircraft engineers, who certify the airworthiness every time an aircraft takes off.

Perhaps these statistics taken from post no 31 are even more of an insult.

''Lack of control and maintenance. Thai Airways is on place 57 of the 60 saviest airlines worldwide. Not really a reference. No 1 is Finnair.''

These statistics, I tell you, they have no sense of decorum

[Andre0720]

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer.

But as luck would have it, this Airbus has Thai Airways attached to it.

Guess its time for some one to return home to his superior country

A tire burst on a aircraft, guess that never happened before huh !

Ah but you must understand a story like this is manna from heaven for the obsessive Thai bashers on here, who spend hours scanning the Thailand news forum looking for any excuse to denigrate all things Thai, no matter how tenuous the link! Can i be the first to blame Yingluck for this tyre bursting!

+1

The Thai bashing is so obsessive... so ludicrous. But maybe we shouldn't knock it. Some folks seem to have no other way to get their kicks.

And where would the Thai bashing be in this instance?

All I could read was statistics that are just not too flattering towards Thai air companies... But they are merely statistics. And some countries do more poorly as it stands..

[GentlemanJim]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

And you know this how?? Are you accusing them of something? If so you better have information to back it up...

Lighten up man for Gods sake!

OMG I was on this flight on the 14th! OK, nothing happened then although I almost changed my flight to the flight in question! However, TG313/TG314 especially the outbound Bangkok-Kolkata sector tends to be full of Indian traders, who check-in tons of baggage not to mention bring a heap of carry-on luggage on board the aircraft. Although not likely a factor in this tire burst (particularly upon landing when the aircraft is much lighter anyway) it is worth mentioning that flights on this route are usually heavily loaded with passengers and cargo, more so than most other flights I've been on to other destinations.

When the crew take off they know what their take off weight is, they don't guess, and both the dispatch crews and the flight crews take the matter very seriously. You don't just get airborne not knowing what weight you are and what the loading data is for the aircraft. If you didn't bother and try getting airborne in a very hot climate you would run out of runway before you managed to get airborne. The weight of the cargo, it's passengers and their carry on luggage is nothing to do with the tyre bursting, if indeed it did burst, as another poster has found an alternative account of the incident. Why is it worth mentioning that in your opinion flights on the India route are loaded with more cargo/pax/hand luggage than other flights. Have you seen the load sheets for what is being carried?

[WhizBang]

Must be a slow news day.

This is right up there with... 'Somchai stopped to fill up his gas tank on the way home.'

[Chicog]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

If that's true, someone didn't do their job properly. An under-inflated tyre bursting on takeoff brought down an aircraft in Saudi a while back.

They are supposed to be inflated (with Nitrogen) and/or the pressures checked. What "other paper" did you read this in?

[dcutman]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

If that's true, someone didn't do their job properly. An under-inflated tyre bursting on takeoff brought down an aircraft in Saudi a while back.

They are supposed to be inflated (with Nitrogen) and/or the pressures checked. What "other paper" did you read this in?

Bangkok Post

[Noistar]

There had been two x Thai A340's parked at Don Mueang airport for three weeks now, both with all the eight engines covered in red protection caps. They must be losing money with them out of service! Wonder what's up with them?

Think those are the non-stop LAX planes..cancelled the route and trying to sell the planes, but nobody wants them. They are very specific in terms of what routes they can serve and their internals where done up all business class.

These are two of the four A340-500 series aircraft that Thai acquired to fly the JFK and LAX direct routes. Not all business class - they were identically fitted out with economy, business and, in a first and last for Thai Airways - premium economy seating. I used the JFK service a lot in 2005/2006 as it was very convenient. From memory, premium economy seats were routinely available for around THB 75,000 and were a good alternative to business at less than half the price. Unfortunately, the economics of ultra-long haul flights are tricky - so much of the maximum gross take-off weight is devoted to fuel rather than paying passengers or cargo. With so many competitors doing one stop services to both LAX and JFK, Thai could never seem to extract the premium required to make the service viable. In my experience, load factors were always high to JFK but Thai still couldn't make money. I believe JFK direct was dropped in 2008 and LAX followed last year. The aircraft used on the JFK service were redeployed on a new direct service to Oslo - not sure if they are still flying there. Thai has been trying to sell the planes ever since but no one else seems to want to dip their toes into the ultra-long haul pond, at least not with the A340-500. Even SQ is phasing out its legendary all business class direct service to Newark later on this year.

At the risk of my post being removed for wandering off-topic, I would like to know why a new 4-engine design, based on the successful A330, is deemed to be less economical than 40 year old Boeing designs. Just interested to know.

[skippybangkok]

followed quickly by the torsion from the brakes would be tough on anyone! Tires do fail even on good landings.

No brakes on front tyres !

[firestar]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

And you know this how?? Are you accusing them of something? If so you better have information to back it up...

Lighten up man for Gods sake!

Don't worry I'm good...just playing hellodolly the professional Thai Basher at his own game.

[rakman]

Happens all the time, mostly no real problem. Mind you, Airport maintenance personel has to check the runway and also clear it from any possible debris.

Agreed. Going from static state to 150 RPM in a fraction of a second as the weight of the airplane arrives followed quickly by the torsion from the brakes would be tough on anyone! Tires do fail even on good landings.

Front wheels on airliners don't have brakes.

[arunsakda]

I am a current and qualified airline pilot. A blown tire is an a non-event, can happen on a perfect landing. AC tires endure enormous stresses, they don't last forever.

[lockman]

A Thai Airways A330 tyres bursting at Suvarnabhumi. This happens anywhere in the world and is not that uncommon.

THAI is a superb airline and for being in the industry I would be surprised if anything wrong is found with their maintenance or safety procedures.

Thai denied that the front tire burst.

The flight crew realized after taking off one of the front tires was under inflated. This led the to request an emergency landing at Swampy. After landing the ground crew discovered both front tires where under inflated, and replaced. Thai is now investigating why or how the aircraft was allowed to depart without discovering this.

Article in the other paper.

What you think, maybe the tire inflating crew had to eat first and were late?

That is possible.

Apparently both the Captain and co-pilot where equally distracted,during their pre-flight check, as they discovered this issue after takeoff.

The tire are checked for inflation by the ground crew, not the aircrew. Now this aircraft may have a tire pressure monitoring system, pressure in the tire was possibly marginal on takeoff, inflight air (and nitrogen as well but to a lessor extent) shrinks when cold, activated a sensor, now crew is aware they have a potential problem, and declare so prior to landing; or the valve core decided to leak after pressure check. I've had aircraft land that blew a tire on takeoff. Much better to press on, and land lighter later. A blown tire is really just an occurrence..same as on a car or truck.

[metisdead]

Posts that started off on topic that degenerated into off topic generalizations have been removed. If you don't want your post(s) to be deleted, then stay on topic please.

[lockman]

use the tires past their wear out point.

Helps the company show a profit.

Your comment is an insult to licensed aircraft engineers, who certify the airworthiness every time an aircraft takes off.

Only to those who certify the airworthiness. Did not apply to Ariana Airlines in the past. Maybe it does now. In 2002 I was at the Kabul airport waiting to board a Boeing 727 to Delhi that had been put together from parts of the bombed out 727s. They had to change a tire. It was sourced from the bone yard. Absolutely no tread, slick as an onion. But I will have to say the pilots of Ariana were superb. Flight smooth as silk.

Most aircraft tires have a red cord ply built-in. While it should normally never be seen, as the tires are at a change point prior to that (for recapping the tread), I would use a used tire anytime over a definitely bad one. Been places we had no normal replacements, installed a tire that was not the same speed rating to get out of that location. Flew back to home station on it and then replaces. Did get approval to do this from engineers and briefed my aircrew on that as well.

[tw25rw]

I am a current and qualified airline pilot. A blown tire is an a non-event, can happen on a perfect landing. AC tires endure enormous stresses, they don't last forever.

How many cycles is it between tyre changes? I think it was something surprisingly low. You just have to see the smoke that puffs up to see why.

[Carib]

I am a current and qualified airline pilot. A blown tire is an a non-event, can happen on a perfect landing. AC tires endure enormous stresses, they don't last forever.

How many cycles is it between tyre changes? I think it was something surprisingly low. You just have to see the smoke that puffs up to see why.

It all depends on the wear and tear the tire had to endure. Maintenance manuals state the specific criteria, what is allowed and or not, like for instance the length and depth of cuts, the ply`s or canvas or reinforced fabric showing or similar. Pilots make soft and heavy landings (not weight related) is a biggie in the lifetime of a tire, runway surface, rain, ice. Rejected takeoff and therefore hard breaking is one too, tires loosing too much pressure between flights and so on.

[khaowong1]

I think there are so many posting on this article today, because most of us have to get here via air travel.. so we get a little paranoid..

[geriatrickid]

Airbus is a leading aircraft manufacturer.

But as luck would have it, this Airbus has Thai Airways attached to it.

Guess its time for some one to return home to his superior country

A tire burst on a aircraft, guess that never happened before huh !

The problem is that the aircraft carrying that pax is just as likely to have a burst tyre. It is apparently a common occurrence, even though the major airlines remove tyres as the life cycle ends. OP might be shocked to discover that TG sources its tyres from the same suppliers as LH, AC, BA, BR etc. I'd be more worried about a bird strike. Maybe we can have a comment on the sinister machinations of Thailand's birds?

[geriatrickid]

I am a current and qualified airline pilot. A blown tire is an a non-event, can happen on a perfect landing. AC tires endure enormous stresses, they don't last forever.

How many cycles is it between tyre changes? I think it was something surprisingly low. You just have to see the smoke that puffs up to see why.

Trivia: The paint used on the tarmac is not intended to be as permanent as one uses on roadways because the paint that lifts makes it easier to remove all the runner residue leftover from the aircraft traffic. Tyres shed rubber especially when landing.

[Chicog]

Why you should not take off with your tyres insufficiently inflated:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigeria_Airways_Flight_2120

Quote

Prior to departure, the lead mechanic had noticed that the "#2 and #4 tyre pressures were below the minimum for flight dispatch" and attempted to inflate them, but no nitrogen gas was readily available, and the project manager, unwilling to accept a delay, disregarded the problem and readied the aircraft for dispatch. As the aircraft was taxiing, the transfer of the load from the under-inflated #2 tyre to the #1 tyre on the same portside axle, resulting "in overdeflection, over-heating and structural weakening of the #1 tyre." "The #1 tyre failed very early on the take-off roll", followed almost immediately by the #2. The latter stopped rotating "for reasons not established", and the subsequent friction of the wheel assembly with the runway generated sufficient heat to start a self-sustaining fire.The crew realized there was a problem, but not the nature or seriousness of it. The aircraft was not equipped with fire or heat sensors in the wheel assembly. The first officer was recorded remarking, "We gotta flat tire, you figure?" Training on the DC-8 "did not include rejecting [takeoff] for tire or wheel failures", and the captain proceeded with the takeoff.

When the landing gear was retracted, "burning rubber was brought into close proximity with hydraulic and electrical system components", causing the failure of both hydraulic and pressurisation systems that led to structural damage and loss of control of the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board later concluded, "had the crew left the landing gear extended, the accident might have been averted". Fuel, "probably introduced as a result of 'burn through' of the centre fuel tank", intensified the fire, which eventually consumed the cabin floor. People began falling out of the airplane when their seat harnesses burned through. "Despite the considerable destruction to the airframe, the aircraft appeared to have been controllable until just before the crash."

Edited March 16, 2013 by Chicog