Narrative:

Takeoff from den at maximum gross weight for runway 17L (wind 110/7, 60 degrees F). Just after liftoff, an aircraft waiting to take off on 35R reported to tower that they observed rubber leaving our aircraft. We acknowledged the report and continued with the departure. All engine indications were normal. The decision was made to continue to pdx if all other indications were normal rather than risk a heavy landing at a high altitude airport with unknown tire damage. Called den maintenance and had them advise maintenance control in houston of our intentions. Maintenance control concurred if we were comfortable and confident that there was no engine damage. En route, after checking WX and NOTAMS, decided to overfly pdx and continue to sea, which was the next stop. Sea was reporting better WX with a strong wind directly down the runway. Sea also has a 1000' longer runway. Arriving at sea, flew by tower at 300-400' for gear inspection. They advised us that the left inboard tire showed damage. Upon adding power to fly downwind at 5000', left engine compressor stalled and aircraft vibrated. Requested an immediate VFR landing from approach control and was given a visibility approach when the runway was in sight. Did not declare an emergency, but approach control gave another aircraft a heading away from the approach path for an emergency in progress. Uneventful landing and rollout. After turning off runway, had emergency veh crew member inspect tire prior to approaching gate. At gate, found #2 tire cap torn off, and damaged to #1 engine fan from tire end. During climb out from den, F/a's were concerned because they and some passenger had heard the pieces hit aircraft and smelled hot rubber. They also thought the engines seemed louder than normal in the climb. I had the jump seat observer (another air carrier pilot) go back and check out the engine noise. He reported that it sounded like any other medium large transport he had flown on. After leveling at 31000', I left cockpit to check as well. Appeared normal and F/a's agreed there was less noise after level-off. While in cabin, I talked to quite a few passenger to describe what had happened and what our plan was. They had not understood the passenger announcement when I had spoken on it prior to leaving the cockpit. Did not brief passenger for emergency evacuate/evacuation as they were very calm throughout. Did have F/a's talk to emergency exit passenger about duties. Excellent help from all of crew and dispatch/maintenance in houston.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LOST A TIRE TREAD ON TKOF FROM DEN. AFTER CONFERRING WITH COMPANY MAINT IN HOU THE FLT CREW ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO SEA. AFTER LNDG TURBINE BLADE DAMAGE WAS DISCOVERED.

Narrative: TKOF FROM DEN AT MAX GROSS WT FOR RWY 17L (WIND 110/7, 60 DEGS F). JUST AFTER LIFTOFF, AN ACFT WAITING TO TAKE OFF ON 35R RPTED TO TWR THAT THEY OBSERVED RUBBER LEAVING OUR ACFT. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE RPT AND CONTINUED WITH THE DEP. ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO CONTINUE TO PDX IF ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL RATHER THAN RISK A HVY LNDG AT A HIGH ALT ARPT WITH UNKNOWN TIRE DAMAGE. CALLED DEN MAINT AND HAD THEM ADVISE MAINT CTL IN HOUSTON OF OUR INTENTIONS. MAINT CTL CONCURRED IF WE WERE COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT THAT THERE WAS NO ENG DAMAGE. ENRTE, AFTER CHKING WX AND NOTAMS, DECIDED TO OVERFLY PDX AND CONTINUE TO SEA, WHICH WAS THE NEXT STOP. SEA WAS RPTING BETTER WX WITH A STRONG WIND DIRECTLY DOWN THE RWY. SEA ALSO HAS A 1000' LONGER RWY. ARRIVING AT SEA, FLEW BY TWR AT 300-400' FOR GEAR INSPECTION. THEY ADVISED US THAT THE LEFT INBOARD TIRE SHOWED DAMAGE. UPON ADDING PWR TO FLY DOWNWIND AT 5000', LEFT ENG COMPRESSOR STALLED AND ACFT VIBRATED. REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE VFR LNDG FROM APCH CTL AND WAS GIVEN A VIS APCH WHEN THE RWY WAS IN SIGHT. DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, BUT APCH CTL GAVE ANOTHER ACFT A HDG AWAY FROM THE APCH PATH FOR AN EMER IN PROGRESS. UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND ROLLOUT. AFTER TURNING OFF RWY, HAD EMER VEH CREW MEMBER INSPECT TIRE PRIOR TO APCHING GATE. AT GATE, FOUND #2 TIRE CAP TORN OFF, AND DAMAGED TO #1 ENG FAN FROM TIRE END. DURING CLBOUT FROM DEN, F/A'S WERE CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY AND SOME PAX HAD HEARD THE PIECES HIT ACFT AND SMELLED HOT RUBBER. THEY ALSO THOUGHT THE ENGS SEEMED LOUDER THAN NORMAL IN THE CLB. I HAD THE JUMP SEAT OBSERVER (ANOTHER ACR PLT) GO BACK AND CHK OUT THE ENG NOISE. HE RPTED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE ANY OTHER MLG HE HAD FLOWN ON. AFTER LEVELING AT 31000', I LEFT COCKPIT TO CHK AS WELL. APPEARED NORMAL AND F/A'S AGREED THERE WAS LESS NOISE AFTER LEVEL-OFF. WHILE IN CABIN, I TALKED TO QUITE A FEW PAX TO DESCRIBE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND WHAT OUR PLAN WAS. THEY HAD NOT UNDERSTOOD THE PAX ANNOUNCEMENT WHEN I HAD SPOKEN ON IT PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COCKPIT. DID NOT BRIEF PAX FOR EMER EVAC AS THEY WERE VERY CALM THROUGHOUT. DID HAVE F/A'S TALK TO EMER EXIT PAX ABOUT DUTIES. EXCELLENT HELP FROM ALL OF CREW AND DISPATCH/MAINT IN HOUSTON.

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.