Narrative:

We departed den on runway 35R using improved flaps 1 takeoff procedure. Takeoff gross weight was 124900 pounds. Takeoff speeds were V1, 161, V2 165, V2, 169, and temperature 76 degrees F. Takeoff roll and rotation were normal with no unusual noise or vibration. Approximately 45 mins into the flight, we were contacted by sam (our system maintenance operations) asking if we had noticed anything unusual on takeoff, as there had been found parts of a tire and a gear door on the runway at den. They felt it could have been us or an (air carrier B) flight. We questioned the flight attendants and 2 company check pilots who were riding in the coach cabin. None indicated that they had heard or felt anything out of the ordinary. The first officer and I therefore planned a normal approach and landing at iad, although we did determine that we would have very little crosswind and could use the full length of a 10500 ft runway. After an uneventful landing, rollout and taxi, we arrived at the gate to discover that the tread had separated from the right outboard main tire, and had damaged the gear door and other areas of the airplane. The use of flaps 1 improved procedure allows our company to carry more passenger by using higher takeoff speeds on long runways. However, repeated us of this procedure puts a lot of stress on the tires and could lead to premature failure of an apparently good tire well below its maximum rated speed. This type of occurrence is not that rare, but it has reinforced in my mind the need for caution when faced with a flaps 1 improved situation, i.e., careful inspection of tires and strict adherence to SOP regarding taxi speeds, distances, and limitations.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG ACR ACFT LOST A MAIN TIRE TREAD CAP DURING TKOF RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO A LNDG GEAR DOOR AND 1 WING FLAP

Narrative: WE DEPARTED DEN ON RWY 35R USING IMPROVED FLAPS 1 TKOF PROC. TKOF GROSS WT WAS 124900 LBS. TKOF SPDS WERE V1, 161, V2 165, V2, 169, AND TEMP 76 DEGS F. TKOF ROLL AND ROTATION WERE NORMAL WITH NO UNUSUAL NOISE OR VIBRATION. APPROX 45 MINS INTO THE FLT, WE WERE CONTACTED BY SAM (OUR SYS MAINT OPS) ASKING IF WE HAD NOTICED ANYTHING UNUSUAL ON TKOF, AS THERE HAD BEEN FOUND PARTS OF A TIRE AND A GEAR DOOR ON THE RWY AT DEN. THEY FELT IT COULD HAVE BEEN US OR AN (ACR B) FLT. WE QUESTIONED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND 2 COMPANY CHK PLTS WHO WERE RIDING IN THE COACH CABIN. NONE INDICATED THAT THEY HAD HEARD OR FELT ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. THE FO AND I THEREFORE PLANNED A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AT IAD, ALTHOUGH WE DID DETERMINE THAT WE WOULD HAVE VERY LITTLE XWIND AND COULD USE THE FULL LENGTH OF A 10500 FT RWY. AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG, ROLLOUT AND TAXI, WE ARRIVED AT THE GATE TO DISCOVER THAT THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE R OUTBOARD MAIN TIRE, AND HAD DAMAGED THE GEAR DOOR AND OTHER AREAS OF THE AIRPLANE. THE USE OF FLAPS 1 IMPROVED PROC ALLOWS OUR COMPANY TO CARRY MORE PAX BY USING HIGHER TKOF SPDS ON LONG RWYS. HOWEVER, REPEATED US OF THIS PROCEDURE PUTS A LOT OF STRESS ON THE TIRES AND COULD LEAD TO PREMATURE FAILURE OF AN APPARENTLY GOOD TIRE WELL BELOW ITS MAX RATED SPD. THIS TYPE OF OCCURRENCE IS NOT THAT RARE, BUT IT HAS REINFORCED IN MY MIND THE NEED FOR CAUTION WHEN FACED WITH A FLAPS 1 IMPROVED SIT, I.E., CAREFUL INSPECTION OF TIRES AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO SOP REGARDING TAXI SPDS, DISTANCES, AND LIMITATIONS.

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.