An air tanker tire tread separated during takeoff leaving FOD on the runway.

Attributes
ACN	781223
Time
Date	200804
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	781223
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Departing ZZZ on a mission to a fire. At rotation a shift was felt in the aircraft. We became airborne and did a visual check of the aircraft and found damage to the right main tire. Tower was notified and advised of the need to FOD the runway and that we would be deviating from our takeoff instructions by continuing straight ahead rather than turning as planned. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that a mechanic on board went back and visually checked the aircraft's condition. The crew then notified tower that they had FOD'ed the runway. The flight crew left the gear down and flew to the next destination without dropping their fire retardant.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIR TANKER TIRE TREAD SEPARATED DURING TKOF LEAVING FOD ON THE RWY.

Narrative: DEPARTING ZZZ ON A MISSION TO A FIRE. AT ROTATION A SHIFT WAS FELT IN THE ACFT. WE BECAME AIRBORNE AND DID A VISUAL CHK OF THE ACFT AND FOUND DAMAGE TO THE R MAIN TIRE. TWR WAS NOTIFIED AND ADVISED OF THE NEED TO FOD THE RWY AND THAT WE WOULD BE DEVIATING FROM OUR TKOF INSTRUCTIONS BY CONTINUING STRAIGHT AHEAD RATHER THAN TURNING AS PLANNED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT A MECHANIC ON BOARD WENT BACK AND VISUALLY CHECKED THE ACFT'S CONDITION. THE CREW THEN NOTIFIED TOWER THAT THEY HAD FOD'ED THE RWY. THE FLT CREW LEFT THE GEAR DOWN AND FLEW TO THE NEXT DESTINATION WITHOUT DROPPING THEIR FIRE RETARDANT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.