Narrative:

This incident involved a landing I made in a C172 late at night. I made a fast approach to the runway and; therefore; I did not touch down until more than 1/2 way down the runway; requiring excessive braking to stop. The right tire burst; leaving the airplane with no directional control on the ground. This required me and my passenger to shut down the airplane; and manually tow it to the ramp with a tow bar. Fortunately; there were no other aircraft using the airport at the time and; therefore; we did not delay anyone else trying to use the runway and txwys. While manually towing the airplane to the ramp; we left all the exterior lights on so that the airplane could be easily idented should any other aircraft arrive. I believe some of the contributing factors to this were the fact that it was so late at night; and I was not as alert as I would normally be; and that I had a desire to get home quickly. This attitude caused me to make a fast descent to the runway; not thinking that I would need so much braking to stop. In hindsight; I should have executed a go around when I knew that a touchdown at the beginning of the runway would not be possible. I also realized later that I had not done the required 3 lndgs at night which would have been mandatory under far 61.57(B)(1) in order to carry passenger at night. Although I have about 1100 hours of flight experience; I had not had a lot of recent flight experience prior to this incident and unfortunately I was not thinking about this rule. I am ashamed and embarrassed that I made such foolish choices which potentially could have put my passenger; myself; and others at risk. However; I know that this incident can only make me a better pilot. This event just underscores for me the need to always put safety first; and to never compromise normal operations just for the desire to get home quickly. I also am well aware that the regulations are in place for a reason and it is my job as a pilot to make sure that I am always in compliance of the FARS to protect other's and my safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 PILOTS A NON CURRENT NIGHT LANDING DURING WHICH HE LANDED FAST AND LONG. A MAIN TIRE BURST DURING THE LANDING BECAUSE OF HEAVY BRAKING.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT INVOLVED A LNDG I MADE IN A C172 LATE AT NIGHT. I MADE A FAST APCH TO THE RWY AND; THEREFORE; I DID NOT TOUCH DOWN UNTIL MORE THAN 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY; REQUIRING EXCESSIVE BRAKING TO STOP. THE R TIRE BURST; LEAVING THE AIRPLANE WITH NO DIRECTIONAL CTL ON THE GND. THIS REQUIRED ME AND MY PAX TO SHUT DOWN THE AIRPLANE; AND MANUALLY TOW IT TO THE RAMP WITH A TOW BAR. FORTUNATELY; THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT USING THE ARPT AT THE TIME AND; THEREFORE; WE DID NOT DELAY ANYONE ELSE TRYING TO USE THE RWY AND TXWYS. WHILE MANUALLY TOWING THE AIRPLANE TO THE RAMP; WE LEFT ALL THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON SO THAT THE AIRPLANE COULD BE EASILY IDENTED SHOULD ANY OTHER ACFT ARRIVE. I BELIEVE SOME OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS WERE THE FACT THAT IT WAS SO LATE AT NIGHT; AND I WAS NOT AS ALERT AS I WOULD NORMALLY BE; AND THAT I HAD A DESIRE TO GET HOME QUICKLY. THIS ATTITUDE CAUSED ME TO MAKE A FAST DSCNT TO THE RWY; NOT THINKING THAT I WOULD NEED SO MUCH BRAKING TO STOP. IN HINDSIGHT; I SHOULD HAVE EXECUTED A GAR WHEN I KNEW THAT A TOUCHDOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE RWY WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. I ALSO REALIZED LATER THAT I HAD NOT DONE THE REQUIRED 3 LNDGS AT NIGHT WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MANDATORY UNDER FAR 61.57(B)(1) IN ORDER TO CARRY PAX AT NIGHT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE ABOUT 1100 HRS OF FLT EXPERIENCE; I HAD NOT HAD A LOT OF RECENT FLT EXPERIENCE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT AND UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT THINKING ABOUT THIS RULE. I AM ASHAMED AND EMBARRASSED THAT I MADE SUCH FOOLISH CHOICES WHICH POTENTIALLY COULD HAVE PUT MY PAX; MYSELF; AND OTHERS AT RISK. HOWEVER; I KNOW THAT THIS INCIDENT CAN ONLY MAKE ME A BETTER PLT. THIS EVENT JUST UNDERSCORES FOR ME THE NEED TO ALWAYS PUT SAFETY FIRST; AND TO NEVER COMPROMISE NORMAL OPS JUST FOR THE DESIRE TO GET HOME QUICKLY. I ALSO AM WELL AWARE THAT THE REGS ARE IN PLACE FOR A REASON AND IT IS MY JOB AS A PLT TO MAKE SURE THAT I AM ALWAYS IN COMPLIANCE OF THE FARS TO PROTECT OTHER'S AND MY SAFETY.

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.