Aircraft equipment problem - the flight crew inspected the tires and while 1 of the left main tires ...

Attributes
ACN	300142
Time
Date	199503
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : unv
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	300142
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

This event started about 4 mins before departure time with me seated in the cockpit. The passenger were on board and the first officer just entering the cockpit. As he took his seat he said something to the effect that the left main outboard tire looked like it might be down a little. After further questioning he indicated that it wasn't critical, but perhaps I should take a look at it. I had not noticed anything out of the ordinary during my walk around, yet I decided to get out of the cockpit and double check the tire. I inspected the tire closely and found no damage or obvious lack of inflation. En route to our destination I had the first officer call the company and arrange to have maintenance meet the aircraft and further check the inflation. They arrived plane side and found that the tire had 100 pounds of pressure in it. The placard on the strut calls for 136 pounds under a load. As it turned out the other tire was also down a little and the mechanic serviced it as well. I wrote the tire up as appearing as if it may need air. The mechanic signed off the write up and was on his way. At this point in the story one might conclude that all is well, as I did for a while. However, as I have reflected back over this string of events it began to occur to me that all may not be well. In retrospect it seems to me that someone could make a case for departing a point or origin with a known discrepancy. (Reference the call to maintenance) I will also admit that I didn't want to take an unnecessary delay. I believe only prudence and judgement can decide whether or not such a delay is necessary. In the past I have not hesitated to off load passenger or taxi back and call maintenance if I felt it was necessary. I did not feel it was necessary at the time based on the appearance and hardness of the tire. Considering the amount of thought (and lack of sleep) I have given this in the past few days, I have resolved to be even more conservative in regard to areas that are neither black of white.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB - THE FLC INSPECTED THE TIRES AND WHILE 1 OF THE L MAIN TIRES LOOKED A LITTLE DIFFERENT THEY DEPARTED ANYWAY. AIR WAS ADDED TO BOTH L TIRES AT THE NEXT STATION.

Narrative: THIS EVENT STARTED ABOUT 4 MINS BEFORE DEP TIME WITH ME SEATED IN THE COCKPIT. THE PAX WERE ON BOARD AND THE FO JUST ENTERING THE COCKPIT. AS HE TOOK HIS SEAT HE SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT THE L MAIN OUTBOARD TIRE LOOKED LIKE IT MIGHT BE DOWN A LITTLE. AFTER FURTHER QUESTIONING HE INDICATED THAT IT WASN'T CRITICAL, BUT PERHAPS I SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT. I HAD NOT NOTICED ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY DURING MY WALK AROUND, YET I DECIDED TO GET OUT OF THE COCKPIT AND DOUBLE CHK THE TIRE. I INSPECTED THE TIRE CLOSELY AND FOUND NO DAMAGE OR OBVIOUS LACK OF INFLATION. ENRTE TO OUR DEST I HAD THE FO CALL THE COMPANY AND ARRANGE TO HAVE MAINT MEET THE ACFT AND FURTHER CHK THE INFLATION. THEY ARRIVED PLANE SIDE AND FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD 100 LBS OF PRESSURE IN IT. THE PLACARD ON THE STRUT CALLS FOR 136 LBS UNDER A LOAD. AS IT TURNED OUT THE OTHER TIRE WAS ALSO DOWN A LITTLE AND THE MECH SERVICED IT AS WELL. I WROTE THE TIRE UP AS APPEARING AS IF IT MAY NEED AIR. THE MECH SIGNED OFF THE WRITE UP AND WAS ON HIS WAY. AT THIS POINT IN THE STORY ONE MIGHT CONCLUDE THAT ALL IS WELL, AS I DID FOR A WHILE. HOWEVER, AS I HAVE REFLECTED BACK OVER THIS STRING OF EVENTS IT BEGAN TO OCCUR TO ME THAT ALL MAY NOT BE WELL. IN RETROSPECT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT SOMEONE COULD MAKE A CASE FOR DEPARTING A POINT OR ORIGIN WITH A KNOWN DISCREPANCY. (REF THE CALL TO MAINT) I WILL ALSO ADMIT THAT I DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE AN UNNECESSARY DELAY. I BELIEVE ONLY PRUDENCE AND JUDGEMENT CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT SUCH A DELAY IS NECESSARY. IN THE PAST I HAVE NOT HESITATED TO OFF LOAD PAX OR TAXI BACK AND CALL MAINT IF I FELT IT WAS NECESSARY. I DID NOT FEEL IT WAS NECESSARY AT THE TIME BASED ON THE APPEARANCE AND HARDNESS OF THE TIRE. CONSIDERING THE AMOUNT OF THOUGHT (AND LACK OF SLEEP) I HAVE GIVEN THIS IN THE PAST FEW DAYS, I HAVE RESOLVED TO BE EVEN MORE CONSERVATIVE IN REGARD TO AREAS THAT ARE NEITHER BLACK OF WHITE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Aircraft equipment problem - the flight crew inspected the tires and while 1 of the left main tires looked a little different they departed anyway. Air was added to both left tires at the next station.