Narrative:

After normal landing at mem, nose wheel was lowered to runway and reverse thrust selected. Significant deceleration was noticed immediately. Tower advised blue smoke from nose wheel and nose wheel vibration began and increased rapidly as speed slowed to straight ahead stop. Passenger were advised as to suspected problem and to remain seated. Fire trucks confirmed both nose wheel tires blown from no wheel rotation. Upon inspection, nose wheel brakes were found to be packed with ice. Since no brakes were applied until after tires were blown, it appears that either a break/anti-skid failure or ice kept the nosewheels from turning causing the tire failure. Buses were dispatched and the passenger were deplaned in an orderly fashion. Aircraft was turned over to maintenance personnel on runway 36R. I am convinced that if the nose wheel brakes were frozen, it was due to poor snow removal at dtw. Inadequate information on airport conditions was received from ATC prior to taxi. When asked we were told 'well, I'll give you what I got, but it's over 2 hours old.' no taxiway information was given and slippery and drifting taxiways were experienced. At one point, when trying to make a 90 degree right turn at #1 for 3L, aircraft slid forward with nose wheel turned 90 degrees to the direction of travel. Snow could have packed in at that time, but I have no idea how deep the snow was. Better airport condition reporting is needed at most airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT LNDG AT MEM BLEW NOSE GEAR TIRES.

Narrative: AFTER NORMAL LNDG AT MEM, NOSE WHEEL WAS LOWERED TO RWY AND REVERSE THRUST SELECTED. SIGNIFICANT DECELERATION WAS NOTICED IMMEDIATELY. TWR ADVISED BLUE SMOKE FROM NOSE WHEEL AND NOSE WHEEL VIBRATION BEGAN AND INCREASED RAPIDLY AS SPD SLOWED TO STRAIGHT AHEAD STOP. PAX WERE ADVISED AS TO SUSPECTED PROBLEM AND TO REMAIN SEATED. FIRE TRUCKS CONFIRMED BOTH NOSE WHEEL TIRES BLOWN FROM NO WHEEL ROTATION. UPON INSPECTION, NOSE WHEEL BRAKES WERE FOUND TO BE PACKED WITH ICE. SINCE NO BRAKES WERE APPLIED UNTIL AFTER TIRES WERE BLOWN, IT APPEARS THAT EITHER A BREAK/ANTI-SKID FAILURE OR ICE KEPT THE NOSEWHEELS FROM TURNING CAUSING THE TIRE FAILURE. BUSES WERE DISPATCHED AND THE PAX WERE DEPLANED IN AN ORDERLY FASHION. ACFT WAS TURNED OVER TO MAINT PERSONNEL ON RWY 36R. I AM CONVINCED THAT IF THE NOSE WHEEL BRAKES WERE FROZEN, IT WAS DUE TO POOR SNOW REMOVAL AT DTW. INADEQUATE INFO ON ARPT CONDITIONS WAS RECEIVED FROM ATC PRIOR TO TAXI. WHEN ASKED WE WERE TOLD 'WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU WHAT I GOT, BUT IT'S OVER 2 HRS OLD.' NO TAXIWAY INFO WAS GIVEN AND SLIPPERY AND DRIFTING TAXIWAYS WERE EXPERIENCED. AT ONE POINT, WHEN TRYING TO MAKE A 90 DEG R TURN AT #1 FOR 3L, ACFT SLID FORWARD WITH NOSE WHEEL TURNED 90 DEGS TO THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. SNOW COULD HAVE PACKED IN AT THAT TIME, BUT I HAVE NO IDEA HOW DEEP THE SNOW WAS. BETTER ARPT CONDITION RPTING IS NEEDED AT MOST ARPTS.

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.