Narrative:

First officer discovered gouge in #3 tire and confirmed that it was leaking. Contract maintenance was called; inspected issue; and said the tire was ok. I went to look; then tested the hole with soapy water; confirmed it was leaking and talked to maintenance control. They agreed the tire would be changed but then called back and told me that according to their manual -- that aircraft could be flown 3 cycles as long as you cannot hear the leak. I refused the aircraft over the concern that the leak will increase after it cools down at altitude on our flight and then we are landing at a high altitude airport with high groundspeed risking the tire coming apart or blowing the remaining good tire on the right side main.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the maintenance controller was upset that he (the pilot) would not take the aircraft with a main gear tire having an active air leak. Although maintenance control said the MM allowed for continued tire operation with a known air leak; as long as you could not 'hear' the air leak; no one has actually referenced any particular language to support that maintenance position. Reporter stated this is a safety of flight issue. Landing or taking off with a known leaking and possibly under inflated tire should not be allowed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS A319 PILOT REPORTS ABOUT CONFIRMING A #3 MAIN LNDG GEAR TIRE WAS LEAKING BY USING SOAPY WATER. CARRIER MAINT CONTROL SAYS ACFT OK TO FLY FOR 3 CYCLES AS LONG AS YOU CANNOT 'HEAR' THE LEAK.

Narrative: FO DISCOVERED GOUGE IN #3 TIRE AND CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS LEAKING. CONTRACT MAINT WAS CALLED; INSPECTED ISSUE; AND SAID THE TIRE WAS OK. I WENT TO LOOK; THEN TESTED THE HOLE WITH SOAPY WATER; CONFIRMED IT WAS LEAKING AND TALKED TO MAINT CONTROL. THEY AGREED THE TIRE WOULD BE CHANGED BUT THEN CALLED BACK AND TOLD ME THAT ACCORDING TO THEIR MANUAL -- THAT AIRCRAFT COULD BE FLOWN 3 CYCLES AS LONG AS YOU CANNOT HEAR THE LEAK. I REFUSED THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE CONCERN THAT THE LEAK WILL INCREASE AFTER IT COOLS DOWN AT ALTITUDE ON OUR FLIGHT AND THEN WE ARE LANDING AT A HIGH ALTITUDE AIRPORT WITH HIGH GROUNDSPEED RISKING THE TIRE COMING APART OR BLOWING THE REMAINING GOOD TIRE ON THE RIGHT SIDE MAIN.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE MAINT CONTROLLER WAS UPSET THAT HE (THE PILOT) WOULD NOT TAKE THE ACFT WITH A MAIN GEAR TIRE HAVING AN ACTIVE AIR LEAK. ALTHOUGH MAINT CONTROL SAID THE MM ALLOWED FOR CONTINUED TIRE OPERATION WITH A KNOWN AIR LEAK; AS LONG AS YOU COULD NOT 'HEAR' THE AIR LEAK; NO ONE HAS ACTUALLY REFERENCED ANY PARTICULAR LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT THAT MAINT POSITION. REPORTER STATED THIS IS A SAFETY OF FLIGHT ISSUE. LANDING OR TAKING OFF WITH A KNOWN LEAKING AND POSSIBLY UNDER INFLATED TIRE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.