Narrative:

During takeoff from slc, captain suspected blown tire just prior to rotation. Landing gear and flaps were retracted normally and after takeoff checklist completed, captain then asked jump seat rider and myself if we noticed any unusual vibrations just prior to rotation -- we had not. We then checked with ATC. They confirmed that pieces of tire were found on the runway we used. We proceeded on course, discussed our options and contacted company dispatch and maintenance control for guidance. Everyone concurred with the captain's decision to continue to the destination (mci) because there were no indications of aircraft damage (except for the failed tire), the WX was excellent in mci, runways were long and dry and the 2 hour flight would both burn off fuel for a lighter landing weight and allow us plenty of time to discuss all possible contingencies. In hindsight, having plenty of time was very helpful in allowing us to consider all the possibilities, solicit input from various sources and prepare ourselves to the maximum extent possible. The captain also used the en route time to brief the flight attendants on the situation and plan as well as allow them time to review evacuate/evacuation procedures. In the cockpit, we reviewed evacuate/evacuation and partial gear extended landing procedures. We also requested crash fire rescue equipment assistance and planned to roll to a top on the runway, shut down engines, and be towed to the gate. The captain flew a visual approach using maximum flaps (40 degrees) to minimize touchdown speed and braking. He briefed the use of minimal braking and reverse thrust to insure directional control and minimize the chance of FOD to the engine(south). Landing left of centerline was discussed (as captain 'felt' it was the right side tire(south) that failed), but later dismissed because we had no definitive evidence of which side failed. (It turned out the left #1 tire failed.) normal approach, landing and rollout were made. Postflt inspection revealed #1 tire tread separation with remaining #1 tire intact, damage to left landing gear door and trailing edge flap damage. Supplemental information from acn 523621: landing was uneventful except for continuous vibration during rollout. Our maintenance checked the aircraft. The gear were pinned and the aircraft was towed to the gate.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER LOSING THE RETREAD CAP ON THE #1 TIRE, THE PIC OF A B737-300 FLT DECIDES TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO DEST ARPT AT MCI, MO.

Narrative: DURING TKOF FROM SLC, CAPT SUSPECTED BLOWN TIRE JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION. LNDG GEAR AND FLAPS WERE RETRACTED NORMALLY AND AFTER TKOF CHKLIST COMPLETED, CAPT THEN ASKED JUMP SEAT RIDER AND MYSELF IF WE NOTICED ANY UNUSUAL VIBRATIONS JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION -- WE HAD NOT. WE THEN CHKED WITH ATC. THEY CONFIRMED THAT PIECES OF TIRE WERE FOUND ON THE RWY WE USED. WE PROCEEDED ON COURSE, DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS AND CONTACTED COMPANY DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL FOR GUIDANCE. EVERYONE CONCURRED WITH THE CAPT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE TO THE DEST (MCI) BECAUSE THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF ACFT DAMAGE (EXCEPT FOR THE FAILED TIRE), THE WX WAS EXCELLENT IN MCI, RWYS WERE LONG AND DRY AND THE 2 HR FLT WOULD BOTH BURN OFF FUEL FOR A LIGHTER LNDG WT AND ALLOW US PLENTY OF TIME TO DISCUSS ALL POSSIBLE CONTINGENCIES. IN HINDSIGHT, HAVING PLENTY OF TIME WAS VERY HELPFUL IN ALLOWING US TO CONSIDER ALL THE POSSIBILITIES, SOLICIT INPUT FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND PREPARE OURSELVES TO THE MAX EXTENT POSSIBLE. THE CAPT ALSO USED THE ENRTE TIME TO BRIEF THE FLT ATTENDANTS ON THE SIT AND PLAN AS WELL AS ALLOW THEM TIME TO REVIEW EVAC PROCS. IN THE COCKPIT, WE REVIEWED EVAC AND PARTIAL GEAR EXTENDED LNDG PROCS. WE ALSO REQUESTED CFR ASSISTANCE AND PLANNED TO ROLL TO A TOP ON THE RWY, SHUT DOWN ENGS, AND BE TOWED TO THE GATE. THE CAPT FLEW A VISUAL APCH USING MAX FLAPS (40 DEGS) TO MINIMIZE TOUCHDOWN SPD AND BRAKING. HE BRIEFED THE USE OF MINIMAL BRAKING AND REVERSE THRUST TO INSURE DIRECTIONAL CTL AND MINIMIZE THE CHANCE OF FOD TO THE ENG(S). LNDG L OF CTRLINE WAS DISCUSSED (AS CAPT 'FELT' IT WAS THE R SIDE TIRE(S) THAT FAILED), BUT LATER DISMISSED BECAUSE WE HAD NO DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE OF WHICH SIDE FAILED. (IT TURNED OUT THE L #1 TIRE FAILED.) NORMAL APCH, LNDG AND ROLLOUT WERE MADE. POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALED #1 TIRE TREAD SEPARATION WITH REMAINING #1 TIRE INTACT, DAMAGE TO L LNDG GEAR DOOR AND TRAILING EDGE FLAP DAMAGE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 523621: LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL EXCEPT FOR CONTINUOUS VIBRATION DURING ROLLOUT. OUR MAINT CHKED THE ACFT. THE GEAR WERE PINNED AND THE ACFT WAS TOWED TO THE GATE.

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.