Narrative:

Departed den on runway 35R using flaps 1 improved takeoff procedure. Gross weight was 124900 pounds. Takeoff speeds were V1 161, vr 165, V2 169, with temperature of 76 degrees F. Takeoff roll and rotation were normal with no unusual noise or vibration. Approximately 45 mins into the flight we were contacted by air carrier maintenance asking if we had noticed anything unusual on takeoff as there had been found parts of a tire and a gear door on the runway at den. We questioned the flight attendants and 2 company check pilots who were riding in the coach cabin. None indicated that they had heard or felt anything out of the ordinary. The captain and I therefore planned a normal approach and landing at iad. We arrived at the gate to discover that the tread had separated from the right outboard main tire and had damaged the gear door and other areas of the airplane. The use of flaps 1 improved procedure allows our company to carry more passenger by using higher takeoff speeds on long runways. However, repeated use of this procedure puts a lot of stress on the tires and could lead to premature failure of an apparently good tire well below its maximum rated speed. This type of occurrence has reinforced in my mind the need for careful inspection of tires and strict adherence to SOP regarding taxi speeds, distances and limitations. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter states that his company has given no real training or guidance on the new 'improved takeoff procedure' using less flaps and much higher takeoff speeds. The reporter says that he saw 196 KTS ground speed when he asked for gear up. The tires are rated at 196 KTS ground speed. This is the first time that this has happened to this reporter. Line check airmen have told him that this is very rare, but mechanics have told him that this is common. The reporter is sure that the tire was recapped and that it had more than average tread. He does not know how many times the tire might have been recapped. The flying rubber tore off a landing gear door, dented a flap, and dented the right horizontal stabilizer. There were rubber marks on the bottom of the stabilizer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW LOST THE TREAD FROM ONE OF ITS TIES DURING AN 'IMPROVED PERFORMANCE TKOF' (HIGH SPD).

Narrative: DEPARTED DEN ON RWY 35R USING FLAPS 1 IMPROVED TKOF PROC. GROSS WT WAS 124900 LBS. TKOF SPDS WERE V1 161, VR 165, V2 169, WITH TEMP OF 76 DEGS F. TKOF ROLL AND ROTATION WERE NORMAL WITH NO UNUSUAL NOISE OR VIBRATION. APPROX 45 MINS INTO THE FLT WE WERE CONTACTED BY ACR MAINT ASKING IF WE HAD NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL ON TKOF AS THERE HAD BEEN FOUND PARTS OF A TIRE AND A GEAR DOOR ON THE RWY AT DEN. WE QUESTIONED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND 2 COMPANY CHK PLTS WHO WERE RIDING IN THE COACH CABIN. NONE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD HEARD OR FELT ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE CAPT AND I THEREFORE PLANNED A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AT IAD. WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE TO DISCOVER THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE R OUTBOARD MAIN TIRE AND HAD DAMAGED THE GEAR DOOR AND OTHER AREAS OF THE AIRPLANE. THE USE OF FLAPS 1 IMPROVED PROC ALLOWS OUR COMPANY TO CARRY MORE PAX BY USING HIGHER TKOF SPDS ON LONG RWYS. HOWEVER, REPEATED USE OF THIS PROC PUTS A LOT OF STRESS ON THE TIRES AND COULD LEAD TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF AN APPARENTLY GOOD TIRE WELL BELOW ITS MAX RATED SPD. THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE HAS REINFORCED IN MY MIND THE NEED FOR CAREFUL INSPECTION OF TIRES AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO SOP REGARDING TAXI SPDS, DISTANCES AND LIMITATIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR STATES THAT HIS COMPANY HAS GIVEN NO REAL TRAINING OR GUIDANCE ON THE NEW 'IMPROVED TKOF PROC' USING LESS FLAPS AND MUCH HIGHER TKOF SPDS. THE RPTR SAYS THAT HE SAW 196 KTS GND SPD WHEN HE ASKED FOR GEAR UP. THE TIRES ARE RATED AT 196 KTS GND SPD. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THIS RPTR. LINE CHK AIRMEN HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS VERY RARE, BUT MECHS HAVE TOLD HIM THAT THIS IS COMMON. THE RPTR IS SURE THAT THE TIRE WAS RECAPPED AND THAT IT HAD MORE THAN AVERAGE TREAD. HE DOES NOT KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THE TIRE MIGHT HAVE BEEN RECAPPED. THE FLYING RUBBER TORE OFF A LNDG GEAR DOOR, DENTED A FLAP, AND DENTED THE R HORIZ STABILIZER. THERE WERE RUBBER MARKS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE STABILIZER.

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.