Narrative:

After takeoff; ZZZ tower reported smoke from the nosewheel during the takeoff roll and said that another aircraft awaiting takeoff had seen it as well. The aircraft had pulled slightly right during takeoff and that was counteracted by the first officer applying rudder and I used the tiller. The flight engineer confirmed the landing gear was in the wheel wells and that everything appeared normal. I asked the flight engineer to call the company maintenance control and ask whether they wanted us to continue to ZZZ1 or return to ZZZ. They and I both felt a return to ZZZ was the right course of action. I declared an emergency and asked for a low pass for gear inspection. The first officer flew the aircraft; and I monitored the flight path. Tower reported the gear looked normal. I made the decision to make a visual pattern and return for landing. I performed the landing using 30 degrees flaps and minimal reverse thrust to hold the nose gear off as long as possible. No further problems occurred during landing. I taxied off the runway and came to a stop. The gear was inspected by ZZZ emergency services and a company representative. They reported tire wear but no further damage. We were told it was ok to taxi. The taxi was normal. After shutdown the logbook was filled out; signed by me; I pulled out a copy for my records and gave the logbook to maintenance. I then proceeded into company operations to fill out an irregularity report. After writing a rough draft; I consulted further with the first officer and flight engineer. The flight engineer told me he ended up pushing #4 thrust lever 3 inches further up than the other 3. That was reported to me after I had signed the logbook; pulled a copy for personal records and given the logbook to maintenance. I included the fact in my irregularity report and in my subsequent telephone report to an acting chief pilot. Maintenance reported that a nose tire had shed its 'cap' (ie; tread) that had accounted for the smoke.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TOWER REPORTS SMOKE FROM B747 DURING TKOF ROLL AND FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNS TO HAVE THE TIRES INSPECTED.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF; ZZZ TWR RPTED SMOKE FROM THE NOSEWHEEL DURING THE TKOF ROLL AND SAID THAT ANOTHER ACFT AWAITING TKOF HAD SEEN IT AS WELL. THE ACFT HAD PULLED SLIGHTLY R DURING TKOF AND THAT WAS COUNTERACTED BY THE FO APPLYING RUDDER AND I USED THE TILLER. THE FE CONFIRMED THE LNDG GEAR WAS IN THE WHEEL WELLS AND THAT EVERYTHING APPEARED NORMAL. I ASKED THE FE TO CALL THE COMPANY MAINT CTL AND ASK WHETHER THEY WANTED US TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ1 OR RETURN TO ZZZ. THEY AND I BOTH FELT A RETURN TO ZZZ WAS THE RIGHT COURSE OF ACTION. I DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED FOR A LOW PASS FOR GEAR INSPECTION. THE FO FLEW THE ACFT; AND I MONITORED THE FLT PATH. TWR RPTED THE GEAR LOOKED NORMAL. I MADE THE DECISION TO MAKE A VISUAL PATTERN AND RETURN FOR LNDG. I PERFORMED THE LNDG USING 30 DEGS FLAPS AND MINIMAL REVERSE THRUST TO HOLD THE NOSE GEAR OFF AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. NO FURTHER PROBS OCCURRED DURING LNDG. I TAXIED OFF THE RWY AND CAME TO A STOP. THE GEAR WAS INSPECTED BY ZZZ EMER SVCS AND A COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE. THEY RPTED TIRE WEAR BUT NO FURTHER DAMAGE. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS OK TO TAXI. THE TAXI WAS NORMAL. AFTER SHUTDOWN THE LOGBOOK WAS FILLED OUT; SIGNED BY ME; I PULLED OUT A COPY FOR MY RECORDS AND GAVE THE LOGBOOK TO MAINT. I THEN PROCEEDED INTO COMPANY OPS TO FILL OUT AN IRREGULARITY RPT. AFTER WRITING A ROUGH DRAFT; I CONSULTED FURTHER WITH THE FO AND FE. THE FE TOLD ME HE ENDED UP PUSHING #4 THRUST LEVER 3 INCHES FURTHER UP THAN THE OTHER 3. THAT WAS RPTED TO ME AFTER I HAD SIGNED THE LOGBOOK; PULLED A COPY FOR PERSONAL RECORDS AND GIVEN THE LOGBOOK TO MAINT. I INCLUDED THE FACT IN MY IRREGULARITY RPT AND IN MY SUBSEQUENT TELEPHONE RPT TO AN ACTING CHIEF PLT. MAINT RPTED THAT A NOSE TIRE HAD SHED ITS 'CAP' (IE; TREAD) THAT HAD ACCOUNTED FOR THE SMOKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.