Narrative:

We were cleared to back taxi into position and hold on runway 4L cmi. We had to make a tight 180 degree right turn to position the aircraft for takeoff. The first sign of abnormality was when the aircraft would not straighten out. We tried numerous attempts to straighten out under the direction of company maintenance control over the radio. The company called the local FBO for help. 2 FBO employees hooked up a tow bar and manually straightened the nosewheel. After which, one of the employees mentioned that the right main tires should be looked at. I did and the tires appeared normal, considering we did a complete 360 degree turn pivoting on the right side in an attempt to straighten out. I then proceeded to do a very intense inspection of the nosewheel assembly. It looked normal with no signs of damage. I reported my finding to the captain and also told him that the FBO employee mentioned the right tires. The aircraft was taxied a short distance down the runway and it was determined that the nosewheel steering was operating normally. All aspects of the takeoff roll were normal. During liftoff, the inboard antiskid caution light illuminated until the landing gear was up and locked. Shortly after takeoff cmi tower notified us that we had lost one of the right main tires. Under direction of dispatch and maintenance control, we diverted to fwa, previously bound for ord. Winds were favorable in fwa right down the runway at about 10 KTS. When the landing gear was lowered in preparation for landing on runway 5 at fwa, I went back in the cabin to inspect the main right gear. It was determined that a normal landing could be attempted. A normal landing was made in fwa, the aircraft was taxied to the gate and shut down. The situation may have been avoided if properly trained company maintenance employees were there to assist. They are far better trained in identify of problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TIRE DEPARTS THE ACFT ON TKOF. DIVERT TO LAND.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO BACK TAXI INTO POS AND HOLD ON RWY 4L CMI. WE HAD TO MAKE A TIGHT 180 DEG R TURN TO POS THE ACFT FOR TKOF. THE FIRST SIGN OF ABNORMALITY WAS WHEN THE ACFT WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN OUT. WE TRIED NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO STRAIGHTEN OUT UNDER THE DIRECTION OF COMPANY MAINT CTL OVER THE RADIO. THE COMPANY CALLED THE LCL FBO FOR HELP. 2 FBO EMPLOYEES HOOKED UP A TOW BAR AND MANUALLY STRAIGHTENED THE NOSEWHEEL. AFTER WHICH, ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES MENTIONED THAT THE R MAIN TIRES SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. I DID AND THE TIRES APPEARED NORMAL, CONSIDERING WE DID A COMPLETE 360 DEG TURN PIVOTING ON THE R SIDE IN AN ATTEMPT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT. I THEN PROCEEDED TO DO A VERY INTENSE INSPECTION OF THE NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY. IT LOOKED NORMAL WITH NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE. I RPTED MY FINDING TO THE CAPT AND ALSO TOLD HIM THAT THE FBO EMPLOYEE MENTIONED THE R TIRES. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED A SHORT DISTANCE DOWN THE RWY AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. ALL ASPECTS OF THE TKOF ROLL WERE NORMAL. DURING LIFTOFF, THE INBOARD ANTISKID CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE LNDG GEAR WAS UP AND LOCKED. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF CMI TWR NOTIFIED US THAT WE HAD LOST ONE OF THE R MAIN TIRES. UNDER DIRECTION OF DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL, WE DIVERTED TO FWA, PREVIOUSLY BOUND FOR ORD. WINDS WERE FAVORABLE IN FWA RIGHT DOWN THE RWY AT ABOUT 10 KTS. WHEN THE LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED IN PREPARATION FOR LNDG ON RWY 5 AT FWA, I WENT BACK IN THE CABIN TO INSPECT THE MAIN R GEAR. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A NORMAL LNDG COULD BE ATTEMPTED. A NORMAL LNDG WAS MADE IN FWA, THE ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE AND SHUT DOWN. THE SIT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF PROPERLY TRAINED COMPANY MAINT EMPLOYEES WERE THERE TO ASSIST. THEY ARE FAR BETTER TRAINED IN IDENT OF PROBS.

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.