Narrative:

This incident occurred on an air carrier flight from cleveland to san francisco, during the takeoff phase. After having received clearance for takeoff, the captain (PF) taxied into position on runway and used autothrottle system to set power. Approximately 3 to 4 seconds after maximum power was set, aircraft at approximately 70 KTS and all engine parameters were nominal, a vibration was felt coming from left side of aircraft. Captain aborted takeoff and taxied clear of runway. Once on taxiway the left engine appeared to have slightly higher than normal vibration and was shutdown. Aircraft taxied in without any further problem. At gate, we observed foreign object damage to engine fan blades, cowl, left side fuselage, in addition to tread separation on left tire and missing gear door. We speculate that while taxiing onto runway, tire tread separated and caused a piece of gear door to lodge in engine just forward of fan blades. A piece of gear door was removed from fan blade area by maintenance personnel.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ABORTS TKOF UPON EXPERIENCING ENGINE VIBRATION. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALS THAT TIRE FAILURE CAUSED A PORTION OF THE GEAR DOOR TO SEPARATE FROM THE ACFT, AND THAT PORTION WAS INGESTED BY THE ENGINE CAUSING CRITICAL ENGINE DAMAGE.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON AN AIR CARRIER FLT FROM CLEVELAND TO SAN FRANCISCO, DURING THE TKOF PHASE. AFTER HAVING RECEIVED CLRNC FOR TKOF, THE CAPT (PF) TAXIED INTO POSITION ON RWY AND USED AUTOTHROTTLE SYSTEM TO SET POWER. APPROX 3 TO 4 SECONDS AFTER MAX POWER WAS SET, ACFT AT APPROX 70 KTS AND ALL ENGINE PARAMETERS WERE NOMINAL, A VIBRATION WAS FELT COMING FROM LEFT SIDE OF ACFT. CAPT ABORTED TKOF AND TAXIED CLEAR OF RWY. ONCE ON TXWY THE LEFT ENGINE APPEARED TO HAVE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL VIBRATION AND WAS SHUTDOWN. ACFT TAXIED IN WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEM. AT GATE, WE OBSERVED FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE TO ENGINE FAN BLADES, COWL, LEFT SIDE FUSELAGE, IN ADDITION TO TREAD SEPARATION ON LEFT TIRE AND MISSING GEAR DOOR. WE SPECULATE THAT WHILE TAXIING ONTO RWY, TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND CAUSED A PIECE OF GEAR DOOR TO LODGE IN ENGINE JUST FORWARD OF FAN BLADES. A PIECE OF GEAR DOOR WAS REMOVED FROM FAN BLADE AREA BY MAINT PERSONNEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.