Lead aircraft of a flight of 2 civilian F104 aircraft blew a tire on landing. #2 aircraft had to declare a fuel emergency to land on the same runway on the left side. Communication problems encountered with #2 aircraft and tower, information relayed via an airborne helicopter and #1 aircraft on the runway. Tower unable to communicate with the emergency equipment.

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Attributes
ACN	414352
Time
Date	199809
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pie
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pie
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 2172
ASRS Report	414352
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flight of 2 F104's (civil) returning (ferry) from airshow. Landing from 360 degree overhead pattern, the lead aircraft had a blown tire approximately 6000 ft down 8500 ft runway 35. Lead aircraft came to a stop far right side of runway (150 ft wide). Fire trucks dispatched onto runway 35 at position of lead aircraft. #2 aircraft (me) completed a missed approach to downwind (visual). Asked tower status of airfield, 'no answer.' several radio calls, 'no answer.' I completed a fly-through over the runway asking tower of status. No answer. Lead aircraft advised me of his situation by his radio, and he asked tower to remove fire trucks and emergency vehicles from the runway so I could land in left lane. Tower advised him (not me) they had no radio contact with the fire trucks. They advised him I should declare a fuel emergency in order to land on runway 35. They still would not respond to my radio calls. In fact, a local helicopter helped by relaying my calls to tower. I declared a fuel emergency on third pass and landed in left lane of runway 35 without incident. Why doesn't tower have radio contact with emergency vehicles, and why don't they respond to aircraft under their control? Local divert bases were closed due to thunderstorm and lightning strikes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LEAD ACFT OF A FLT OF 2 CIVILIAN F104 ACFT BLEW A TIRE ON LNDG. #2 ACFT HAD TO DECLARE A FUEL EMER TO LAND ON THE SAME RWY ON THE L SIDE. COM PROBS ENCOUNTERED WITH #2 ACFT AND TWR, INFO RELAYED VIA AN AIRBORNE HELI AND #1 ACFT ON THE RWY. TWR UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE EMER EQUIP.

Narrative: FLT OF 2 F104'S (CIVIL) RETURNING (FERRY) FROM AIRSHOW. LNDG FROM 360 DEG OVERHEAD PATTERN, THE LEAD ACFT HAD A BLOWN TIRE APPROX 6000 FT DOWN 8500 FT RWY 35. LEAD ACFT CAME TO A STOP FAR R SIDE OF RWY (150 FT WIDE). FIRE TRUCKS DISPATCHED ONTO RWY 35 AT POS OF LEAD ACFT. #2 ACFT (ME) COMPLETED A MISSED APCH TO DOWNWIND (VISUAL). ASKED TWR STATUS OF AIRFIELD, 'NO ANSWER.' SEVERAL RADIO CALLS, 'NO ANSWER.' I COMPLETED A FLY-THROUGH OVER THE RWY ASKING TWR OF STATUS. NO ANSWER. LEAD ACFT ADVISED ME OF HIS SIT BY HIS RADIO, AND HE ASKED TWR TO REMOVE FIRE TRUCKS AND EMER VEHICLES FROM THE RWY SO I COULD LAND IN L LANE. TWR ADVISED HIM (NOT ME) THEY HAD NO RADIO CONTACT WITH THE FIRE TRUCKS. THEY ADVISED HIM I SHOULD DECLARE A FUEL EMER IN ORDER TO LAND ON RWY 35. THEY STILL WOULD NOT RESPOND TO MY RADIO CALLS. IN FACT, A LCL HELI HELPED BY RELAYING MY CALLS TO TWR. I DECLARED A FUEL EMER ON THIRD PASS AND LANDED IN L LANE OF RWY 35 WITHOUT INCIDENT. WHY DOESN'T TWR HAVE RADIO CONTACT WITH EMER VEHICLES, AND WHY DON'T THEY RESPOND TO ACFT UNDER THEIR CTL? LCL DIVERT BASES WERE CLOSED DUE TO TSTM AND LIGHTNING STRIKES.

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.