What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Aircraft was conducting fire suppression operations just west of the broomfield airport. The aircraft was loaded with 703 gallons (6467 lbs.) Of fire retardant for this take-off. This is 97 gallons less than a full load. Aircraft was approx. 500 feet into the take-off roll on runway 29R when pilot reports hearing a large "bang." The aircraft immediately exited off runway to the left. The pilot was not injured. At the time of the accident the winds were reported to be @ 250 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 25. Consultation with the aircraft mfg-air tractor-has revealed that there has been a previous accident where the aircraft was loaded near gross weight with a significant side wind load during take-off resulting in one of the main tire's sidewall bead separating from the wheel rim. This bead separation causes all the air in the tire to suddenly be released. This would make the left main tire suspect. Photograph taken at the scene verifies that the left main tire sidewall was separated from the wheel rim bead area. This inspector will submit a safety recommendation to either design a better wheel/tire combination or establish a crosswind component/limitation for take-off.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING FIRE SUPPRESSION OPERATIONS JUST WEST OF THE BROOMFIELD AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED WITH 703 GALLONS (6467 LBS.) OF FIRE RETARDANT FOR THIS TAKE-OFF. THIS IS 97 GALLONS LESS THAN A FULL LOAD. AIRCRAFT WAS APPROX. 500 FEET INTO THE TAKE-OFF ROLL ON RUNWAY 29R WHEN PILOT REPORTS HEARING A LARGE "BANG." THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY EXITED OFF RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE @ 250 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 25. CONSULTATION WITH THE AIRCRAFT MFG-AIR TRACTOR-HAS REVEALED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED NEAR GROSS WEIGHT WITH A SIGNIFICANT SIDE WIND LOAD DURING TAKE-OFF RESULTING IN ONE OF THE MAIN TIRE'S SIDEWALL BEAD SEPARATING FROM THE WHEEL RIM. THIS BEAD SEPARATION CAUSES ALL THE AIR IN THE TIRE TO SUDDENLY BE RELEASED. THIS WOULD MAKE THE LEFT MAIN TIRE SUSPECT. PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN AT THE SCENE VERIFIES THAT THE LEFT MAIN TIRE SIDEWALL WAS SEPARATED FROM THE WHEEL RIM BEAD AREA. THIS INSPECTOR WILL SUBMIT A SAFETY RECOMMENDATION TO EITHER DESIGN A BETTER WHEEL/TIRE COMBINATION OR ESTABLISH A CROSSWIND COMPONENT/LIMITATION FOR TAKE-OFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.