Incident Overview
During the takeoff rotation, the captain reported feeling a "thump" accompanied by the aircraft slumping to the left. The aircrew, already committed to the takeoff, continued the maneuver successfully. To assess potential damage, the crew performed a low pass over the tower, where personnel observed that the left outboard tire was missing and the left inboard tire appeared flat.
Post-Incident Actions
After confirming the tire anomalies, the aircraft was flown for 2 hours and 20 minutes to consume fuel before landing. The landing was executed without further incident.
Investigation Findings
An investigation determined that the wheel bead flange (rim) of the left outboard wheel, part number 2601571-1, had failed due to fatigue. The crack originated at the inside diameter of the rim in an area characterized by localized corrosion pitting. This failure caused the left outboard tire to detach. During the landing, the left inboard wheel sustained significant damage, and minor damage along with scuff marks were found in the vicinity of the left main landing gear.