MLG NOTIFIED OF GEAR DOOR TIRE DAMAGE AT TKOF. DIVERT LAND.

Narrative

WHILE AT CRUISE ALT (FL330) WE RECEIVED A SELCAL FROM COMMERCIAL RADIO. SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO REACH COMMERCIAL RADIO. SHORTLY AFTERWARD; ABQ ARTCC ADVISED US THAT PHX ATC TWR BELIEVES WE HAD A TIRE STRUCTURAL FAILURE ALONG WITH LOSING PART OF A GEAR DOOR ON TKOF FROM PHX. I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED CONTACT WITH COMPANY ON COMMERCIAL RADIO AND INQUIRED ABOUT ANY INFO THEY COULD OBTAIN TO BETTER ASSESS THE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT. NOTIFIED DISPATCH THAT I WOULD CONTINUE FLT TO EWR SINCE ALL PARAMETERS AND FLT CHARACTERISTICS WERE NORMAL; BUT ADVISED THEM TO CONTACT ME WHEN FURTHER INFO WAS RECEIVED FROM PHX ON PARTICULARS OF THE INCIDENT. DISPATCH NOTIFIED ME ON COMMERCIAL RADIO THAT THEY CONFIRMED THE ENTIRE CARCASS OF #1 TIRE WAS FOUND ALONG WITH PART OF A GEAR DOOR ON THE RWY. I REQUESTED A PHONE CONFERENCE WITH MAINT CTL AND ENGINEERING TO ASSESS POSSIBLE FLT CHARACTERISTICS OF ACFT UPON LNDG. THEIR RECOMMENDATION TO LAND AT A SUITABLE ARPT WITH A LONG DRY RWY. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH DISPATCH ON DEST WX; I ELECTED TO DIVERT TO ORD OR IND; DUE TO COMPANY MAINT AT ORD. SELECTED ORD FOR UNSCHEDULED LNDG. BRIEFED FLT ATTENDANTS; THEN PAX ON PRECAUTIONARY LNDG AT ORD. DECLARED AN EMER WHEN CLOSE TO ARPT AND MADE SUBSEQUENT UNEVENTFUL LNDG.