The Mexican-registered twinjet was substantially damaged when it departed the runway on takeoff from Eagle County Regional Airport en route to Chihuahua, Mexico. The airport manager told investigators that the jet’s left main landing gear tire “blew” during the departure roll, and the captain was unable to stop the airplane in the remaining distance. The Falcon traveled 400 feet past the end of the runway into deep snow, causing both main gear to collapse and the right wing to buckle.
Examination of the wreckage revealed that while both main gear tires were flat, parts of the left tire were found on the runway and investigators noted what appeared to be a shallow laceration that crossed the tread on the left tire. In a follow-up interview, the pilot said he did not strike anything with the aircraft’s tires while taxiing or during the takeoff roll. According to witnesses, before taxiing, the pilot failed to pull the tire chock from the left main gear, and the engines were heard to “spool up” to a high rpm as the jet rolled over the chock. While the aircraft was turning to leave the ramp area, a witness saw the left main tire roll over the nosegear chock that had been removed.