Runway excursion and nose gear tire failure during landing (N4613D)

What happened

During the landing phase of flight, the pilot encountered a gust of wind that compromised directional control of the aircraft. The airplane subsequently departed the runway surface and collided with a barrel barricade before coming to a complete stop.

The investigation

A physical examination of the wreckage revealed significant damage to the landing gear assembly. Specifically, the nose gear tire was found to be blown or ruptured. Inspection of the tire indicated that it had been worn down to the cord area prior to the accident.

Findings

Contributing factors included the gusty wind conditions which affected directional control and a pre-existing mechanical condition involving the nose landing gear tire. The tire had been worn to the cord level before the flight, which likely contributed to its failure during the high-stress maneuver of stopping after the runway excursion.