Narrative:

During takeoff #3 tire failed at 125 KTS. Aborted the takeoff. Aircraft weight was 106000 pounds, V1 was 144 KTS, and flaps, 5 degrees (takeoff), when I noted the tire failure. (Loud flapping sound, increasing in loudness, and frequency, tread coming off, also, increasing vibration. The air frame was vibrating.) I have never had a tire failure, before. With this type of failure (tread coming off and hitting the airframe, it was immediately apparent to me, that this was a tire failure. (Not having one before, this immediate recognition surprised me.) also, this was the highest speed at which I ever aborted a takeoff. During the abort, I flowed through procedures. Maximum braking throttle idle, my butt out of the seat, boards extended, and maximum reverse thrust. The aircraft appeared to accelerate for a second or 2, then, the braking was excellent. It stopped in a straight line. I believe the distance from brake application to full stop, was less than 4000 ft. Application to full stop, was less than 4000 ft. No fire occurred, or other tire failure. My biggest concern, after stopping, was brake fire or tire fire. No real way to find this out. Next time, instead of asking the tower to advise us of our condition, I will send a first officer to check for smoke coming out from under the wings. Other observations: the tire tread went through #3 engine, with fan damage, but did not go through the core. The tread went through the bypass. After stopping on the taxiway, the brakes failed. After the parking brake was set, we were stopped (the brakes locked up). Aircraft was towed to the gate. (Passenger were loaded onto buses prior to being towed.) there were no incidents, accidents or injuries. The airplane stopped, like they said it would.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR'S R MAIN TIRE FAILED AT HIGH SPD, PRIOR TO V1. TKOF WAS ABORTED, AND CONCLUSION UNEVENTFUL.

Narrative: DURING TKOF #3 TIRE FAILED AT 125 KTS. ABORTED THE TKOF. ACFT WT WAS 106000 LBS, V1 WAS 144 KTS, AND FLAPS, 5 DEGS (TKOF), WHEN I NOTED THE TIRE FAILURE. (LOUD FLAPPING SOUND, INCREASING IN LOUDNESS, AND FREQ, TREAD COMING OFF, ALSO, INCREASING VIBRATION. THE AIR FRAME WAS VIBRATING.) I HAVE NEVER HAD A TIRE FAILURE, BEFORE. WITH THIS TYPE OF FAILURE (TREAD COMING OFF AND HITTING THE AIRFRAME, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY APPARENT TO ME, THAT THIS WAS A TIRE FAILURE. (NOT HAVING ONE BEFORE, THIS IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION SURPRISED ME.) ALSO, THIS WAS THE HIGHEST SPD AT WHICH I EVER ABORTED A TKOF. DURING THE ABORT, I FLOWED THROUGH PROCS. MAX BRAKING THROTTLE IDLE, MY BUTT OUT OF THE SEAT, BOARDS EXTENDED, AND MAX REVERSE THRUST. THE ACFT APPEARED TO ACCELERATE FOR A SECOND OR 2, THEN, THE BRAKING WAS EXCELLENT. IT STOPPED IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I BELIEVE THE DISTANCE FROM BRAKE APPLICATION TO FULL STOP, WAS LESS THAN 4000 FT. APPLICATION TO FULL STOP, WAS LESS THAN 4000 FT. NO FIRE OCCURRED, OR OTHER TIRE FAILURE. MY BIGGEST CONCERN, AFTER STOPPING, WAS BRAKE FIRE OR TIRE FIRE. NO REAL WAY TO FIND THIS OUT. NEXT TIME, INSTEAD OF ASKING THE TWR TO ADVISE US OF OUR CONDITION, I WILL SEND A FO TO CHK FOR SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE WINGS. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: THE TIRE TREAD WENT THROUGH #3 ENG, WITH FAN DAMAGE, BUT DID NOT GO THROUGH THE CORE. THE TREAD WENT THROUGH THE BYPASS. AFTER STOPPING ON THE TXWY, THE BRAKES FAILED. AFTER THE PARKING BRAKE WAS SET, WE WERE STOPPED (THE BRAKES LOCKED UP). ACFT WAS TOWED TO THE GATE. (PAX WERE LOADED ONTO BUSES PRIOR TO BEING TOWED.) THERE WERE NO INCIDENTS, ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE STOPPED, LIKE THEY SAID IT WOULD.

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.