An air carrier medium large transport lost a wheel on takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	246664
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ord airport : arpt
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ord
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	246664
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 15 mins after takeoff we were notified by ACARS that there had been several eye witness reports of a wheel falling off of our aircraft shortly after takeoff. We returned for a fly-by for verification. It was verified, so we burned off some fuel and came in and landed after accomplishing numerous procedures. After landing and gear inspection, it appeared there was some sort of mechanical failure with wheel retention.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG LOST A WHEEL ON TKOF.

Narrative: APPROX 15 MINS AFTER TKOF WE WERE NOTIFIED BY ACARS THAT THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL EYE WITNESS RPTS OF A WHEEL FALLING OFF OF OUR ACFT SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. WE RETURNED FOR A FLY-BY FOR VERIFICATION. IT WAS VERIFIED, SO WE BURNED OFF SOME FUEL AND CAME IN AND LANDED AFTER ACCOMPLISHING NUMEROUS PROCS. AFTER LNDG AND GEAR INSPECTION, IT APPEARED THERE WAS SOME SORT OF MECHANICAL FAILURE WITH WHEEL RETENTION.

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.