Narrative:

Taxiing at idle speed (800-900 RPM) for departure runway 29. Wind 300 degrees 10 KTS. Tailwheel tire blew out (acutely deflated). Aircraft sharply swerved left (almost at right angle to taxiway) causing loss of control. Minor damage to wheel fairings and propeller strike. No injuries to pilot or passenger. Several yrs ago I reported somewhat similar occurrence on landing. Severe vibration of tailwheel, then swerved to left and loss of control. No damage or injuries. It is my understanding that this aircraft (great lakes) has history of tailwheel problems: flat tires, vibration, and 'locking-up' with loss of control. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was a great lakes biplane of which about 200 are in service. The reporter said the airplane incurred propeller and wheel fairing damage in this incident. The reporter stated it is his belief the tailwheel and tailwheel components are of poor design and faulty. The reporter stated that after this incident a technician disassembled the tailwheel assembly and other than the hole in the inner tube everything was ok for service. The reporter said contact was made with an organization that operates 3 great lakes airplanes and the report from the technicians was no tailwheel incidents other than tire wear have been reported. The reporter stated the technicians advised higher inflation pressures in the tire. The reporter said contact was made with a knowledgeable person on great lakes airplane maintenance, but could offer no information on the tailwheel problem except over inflation of the tire is not recommended.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A GREAT LAKES 2T-1A-2 ON TAXI AT IDLE SPD THE TAILWHEEL BLEW OUT CAUSING ACFT TO VEER SHARPLY TO L AND DEPARTING TXWY. ACFT DAMAGED.

Narrative: TAXIING AT IDLE SPD (800-900 RPM) FOR DEP RWY 29. WIND 300 DEGS 10 KTS. TAILWHEEL TIRE BLEW OUT (ACUTELY DEFLATED). ACFT SHARPLY SWERVED L (ALMOST AT R ANGLE TO TXWY) CAUSING LOSS OF CTL. MINOR DAMAGE TO WHEEL FAIRINGS AND PROP STRIKE. NO INJURIES TO PLT OR PAX. SEVERAL YRS AGO I RPTED SOMEWHAT SIMILAR OCCURRENCE ON LNDG. SEVERE VIBRATION OF TAILWHEEL, THEN SWERVED TO L AND LOSS OF CTL. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS ACFT (GREAT LAKES) HAS HISTORY OF TAILWHEEL PROBS: FLAT TIRES, VIBRATION, AND 'LOCKING-UP' WITH LOSS OF CTL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS A GREAT LAKES BIPLANE OF WHICH ABOUT 200 ARE IN SVC. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE INCURRED PROP AND WHEEL FAIRING DAMAGE IN THIS INCIDENT. THE RPTR STATED IT IS HIS BELIEF THE TAILWHEEL AND TAILWHEEL COMPONENTS ARE OF POOR DESIGN AND FAULTY. THE RPTR STATED THAT AFTER THIS INCIDENT A TECHNICIAN DISASSEMBLED THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY AND OTHER THAN THE HOLE IN THE INNER TUBE EVERYTHING WAS OK FOR SVC. THE RPTR SAID CONTACT WAS MADE WITH AN ORGANIZATION THAT OPERATES 3 GREAT LAKES AIRPLANES AND THE RPT FROM THE TECHNICIANS WAS NO TAILWHEEL INCIDENTS OTHER THAN TIRE WEAR HAVE BEEN RPTED. THE RPTR STATED THE TECHNICIANS ADVISED HIGHER INFLATION PRESSURES IN THE TIRE. THE RPTR SAID CONTACT WAS MADE WITH A KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON ON GREAT LAKES AIRPLANE MAINT, BUT COULD OFFER NO INFO ON THE TAILWHEEL PROB EXCEPT OVER INFLATION OF THE TIRE IS NOT RECOMMENDED.

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.