Light Sport Aircraft
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 19.4; Flight Crew Total 159.4; Flight Crew Type 159.4
Situational Awareness
Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Aircraft; Weather; Human Factors
The PIAT is a small lightweight aircraft. When landing at Runway XX at ZZZ the front tire blew. The aircraft had landed on the runway and looked as if everything was normal but then the aircraft became airborne again. This could've been due to a gust of wind that lifted the aircraft. It could've been the fact that Runway XX starts off as a flat runway and then slopes downward. Either way if you are in an aircraft that likes to glide recognize the risk for becoming airborne again. It didn't take much to blow the front tire; I was airborne for maybe 1/2 a second or less and then made contact with the runway again. The PIAT aircraft does not have individual brakes on the main tires (unlike a Cessna 172); it has one brake lever that operates the brakes in unison. If for some reason your nose wheel blows you should anticipate uncontrollable turn. I used full right rudder and applied full brakes to avoid going off the runway; but we still drifted left. At the same time of sliding down the runway I shut off mags to stop the propeller from spinning (minimizing risk and moving parts). I did this because I knew that the nose was low to the ground thus making the ground clearance on the propeller low. This all happened within 1/2 a second; meaning time to go-around was not an option. If you are in an aircraft that is a natural glider be careful on landings not to become airborne again. If you do become airborne again and can recognize it fast going around would be your best choice.
PIAT (Light Sport Aircraft) pilot reported the aircraft became airborne for 1/2 a second after touchdown due to possible gusts resulting in a blown front tire; loss of aircraft control; and a near runway excursion.