Narrative:

Our flight aborted takeoff at 70 KTS while departing runway 4 in klex. When we were cleared to takeoff, we taxied into position on runway 4 and held the brakes while advancing the power to 1.4 EPR. This was accomplished as briefed. It was done to ensure a good power check and maximize takeoff performance given a fairly heavy departure on a relatively short runway (runway length 7002 ft). All indications were normal. As the takeoff roll progressed, a subtle 'spongy' feeling was detected. All engine indications were absolutely normal. It was the first officer's leg, but my hand was on the throttles. Due to this 'spongy' feeling, I suspected some type of tire failure and elected to abort the takeoff. It was a low speed abort and deceleration was very comfortable. We advised ATC that we had aborted the takeoff. We taxied down to A5, cleared runway 4 and then were cleared to the ramp by ATC. We communicated to ATC we suspected some type of tire failure and would be returning to the gate. We then made a PA to the passenger stating same. We contacted the ramp and described what transpired. We held short of the gate area while a ground crew inspected the tires. After this inspection, we proceeded to the gate for a more comprehensive inspection, i.e., tire pressures, FOD damage, etc. A logbook entry was made and contract maintenance was called to inspect tire pressures. I proceeded out of the aircraft to inspect the engines after I was informed a large piece of tar, approximately 12 inches in length, 4 inches wide, and 1/2 inch thick was lodged in the inboard tread of #3 main tire. From the ground I was fairly certain some FOD had occurred. Myself, along with the station manager, walked up a baggage conveyor positioned under the right engine for a closer look. A tar ball was lodged in the inlet guide vane at about the 10 O'clock position. Additionally, some fan blades were chipped and bent forward. I informed the station manager that the engine would require some type of engine inspection. I proceeded back to the aircraft and informed the crew of the problem. I then informed the passenger that, due to a mechanical, the aircraft would not be able to proceed to atl and that they should proceed to the main ticket counter for further information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF ABORTED WHEN ACFT PERFORMANCE NOT AS EXPECTED ON INITIAL TKOF PROC.

Narrative: OUR FLT ABORTED TKOF AT 70 KTS WHILE DEPARTING RWY 4 IN KLEX. WHEN WE WERE CLRED TO TKOF, WE TAXIED INTO POS ON RWY 4 AND HELD THE BRAKES WHILE ADVANCING THE PWR TO 1.4 EPR. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED AS BRIEFED. IT WAS DONE TO ENSURE A GOOD PWR CHK AND MAXIMIZE TKOF PERFORMANCE GIVEN A FAIRLY HVY DEP ON A RELATIVELY SHORT RWY (RWY LENGTH 7002 FT). ALL INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. AS THE TKOF ROLL PROGRESSED, A SUBTLE 'SPONGY' FEELING WAS DETECTED. ALL ENG INDICATIONS WERE ABSOLUTELY NORMAL. IT WAS THE FO'S LEG, BUT MY HAND WAS ON THE THROTTLES. DUE TO THIS 'SPONGY' FEELING, I SUSPECTED SOME TYPE OF TIRE FAILURE AND ELECTED TO ABORT THE TKOF. IT WAS A LOW SPD ABORT AND DECELERATION WAS VERY COMFORTABLE. WE ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD ABORTED THE TKOF. WE TAXIED DOWN TO A5, CLRED RWY 4 AND THEN WERE CLRED TO THE RAMP BY ATC. WE COMMUNICATED TO ATC WE SUSPECTED SOME TYPE OF TIRE FAILURE AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE GATE. WE THEN MADE A PA TO THE PAX STATING SAME. WE CONTACTED THE RAMP AND DESCRIBED WHAT TRANSPIRED. WE HELD SHORT OF THE GATE AREA WHILE A GND CREW INSPECTED THE TIRES. AFTER THIS INSPECTION, WE PROCEEDED TO THE GATE FOR A MORE COMPREHENSIVE INSPECTION, I.E., TIRE PRESSURES, FOD DAMAGE, ETC. A LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE AND CONTRACT MAINT WAS CALLED TO INSPECT TIRE PRESSURES. I PROCEEDED OUT OF THE ACFT TO INSPECT THE ENGS AFTER I WAS INFORMED A LARGE PIECE OF TAR, APPROX 12 INCHES IN LENGTH, 4 INCHES WIDE, AND 1/2 INCH THICK WAS LODGED IN THE INBOARD TREAD OF #3 MAIN TIRE. FROM THE GND I WAS FAIRLY CERTAIN SOME FOD HAD OCCURRED. MYSELF, ALONG WITH THE STATION MGR, WALKED UP A BAGGAGE CONVEYOR POSITIONED UNDER THE R ENG FOR A CLOSER LOOK. A TAR BALL WAS LODGED IN THE INLET GUIDE VANE AT ABOUT THE 10 O'CLOCK POS. ADDITIONALLY, SOME FAN BLADES WERE CHIPPED AND BENT FORWARD. I INFORMED THE STATION MGR THAT THE ENG WOULD REQUIRE SOME TYPE OF ENG INSPECTION. I PROCEEDED BACK TO THE ACFT AND INFORMED THE CREW OF THE PROB. I THEN INFORMED THE PAX THAT, DUE TO A MECHANICAL, THE ACFT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PROCEED TO ATL AND THAT THEY SHOULD PROCEED TO THE MAIN TICKET COUNTER FOR FURTHER INFO.

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.