Narrative:

I was cleared to land. I proceeded with a visual approach and made a normal landing. Shortly after the main wheels touched down; the nosewheel touched down normally. A few moments later; a slight vibration started through the airplane. As the plane slowed more; the vibration got worse. At around 40 KIAS; it was clear there was a problem. I stayed off the brakes and let the plane slow on its own. Once I came in range of a taxiway leading off the runway; I applied brakes to attempt to make the turn; and the vibration became extreme; and the plane came to a rest. I applied a little power attempting to make it off on the taxiway. The power required to get the plane in motion again was too much; and I decided the best decision was to not move the plane again. I informed the tower controller that I was stuck on the runway. ATC told an rj on short final to go around; closed the runway; and sent out the fire trucks. I shut the engine down; and got out of the plane when the fire department arrived. I discovered that the nosewheel had blown out and the vibration came from the metal axle rolling across the runway grating/grooves; and of course got worse as the plane slowed and more weight went to the nose gear. About twenty mins later; the plane was tugged off the runway and the runway reopened. The main factor that affected my performance in this situation was the tight schedule that this particular run involves. I did give the aircraft a preflight earlier that day; but had not looked closely at it as the day progressed. I am not sure of the reason that the tire blew out; or even if I would have seen the reason if I looked at it before I last took off; however; before each flight from now on; I am going to take an extra minute or two to walk around the plane and give it an examination before I jump in and continue on a run.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIPER PA32 PLT HAS THE NOSE TIRE FAIL ON LNDG.

Narrative: I WAS CLRED TO LAND. I PROCEEDED WITH A VISUAL APCH AND MADE A NORMAL LNDG. SHORTLY AFTER THE MAIN WHEELS TOUCHED DOWN; THE NOSEWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY. A FEW MOMENTS LATER; A SLIGHT VIBRATION STARTED THROUGH THE AIRPLANE. AS THE PLANE SLOWED MORE; THE VIBRATION GOT WORSE. AT AROUND 40 KIAS; IT WAS CLEAR THERE WAS A PROB. I STAYED OFF THE BRAKES AND LET THE PLANE SLOW ON ITS OWN. ONCE I CAME IN RANGE OF A TXWY LEADING OFF THE RWY; I APPLIED BRAKES TO ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE TURN; AND THE VIBRATION BECAME EXTREME; AND THE PLANE CAME TO A REST. I APPLIED A LITTLE PWR ATTEMPTING TO MAKE IT OFF ON THE TXWY. THE PWR REQUIRED TO GET THE PLANE IN MOTION AGAIN WAS TOO MUCH; AND I DECIDED THE BEST DECISION WAS TO NOT MOVE THE PLANE AGAIN. I INFORMED THE TWR CTLR THAT I WAS STUCK ON THE RWY. ATC TOLD AN RJ ON SHORT FINAL TO GO AROUND; CLOSED THE RWY; AND SENT OUT THE FIRE TRUCKS. I SHUT THE ENG DOWN; AND GOT OUT OF THE PLANE WHEN THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED. I DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL HAD BLOWN OUT AND THE VIBRATION CAME FROM THE METAL AXLE ROLLING ACROSS THE RWY GRATING/GROOVES; AND OF COURSE GOT WORSE AS THE PLANE SLOWED AND MORE WEIGHT WENT TO THE NOSE GEAR. ABOUT TWENTY MINS LATER; THE PLANE WAS TUGGED OFF THE RWY AND THE RWY REOPENED. THE MAIN FACTOR THAT AFFECTED MY PERFORMANCE IN THIS SITUATION WAS THE TIGHT SCHEDULE THAT THIS PARTICULAR RUN INVOLVES. I DID GIVE THE ACFT A PREFLT EARLIER THAT DAY; BUT HAD NOT LOOKED CLOSELY AT IT AS THE DAY PROGRESSED. I AM NOT SURE OF THE REASON THAT THE TIRE BLEW OUT; OR EVEN IF I WOULD HAVE SEEN THE REASON IF I LOOKED AT IT BEFORE I LAST TOOK OFF; HOWEVER; BEFORE EACH FLIGHT FROM NOW ON; I AM GOING TO TAKE AN EXTRA MINUTE OR TWO TO WALK AROUND THE PLANE AND GIVE IT AN EXAMINATION BEFORE I JUMP IN AND CONTINUE ON A RUN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.