Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
On preflight; I noticed [one] tire was missing a brake wear pin. I took a picture of this to consult with the Captain. The mechanic saw me taking this picture and asked me what was wrong. I told him I see no brake wear pin in the number 11 tire. He said it's [a] deferred maintenance item [and] it's in the book; which it was. We went on with our normal procedures and taxied to Runway XXR for departure. While taxiing out; everything felt normal and we had no bad indications. After being cleared for takeoff; the Captain set the thrust. Going down the runway; we felt a little vibration. Both the Captain and I thought it was because the Captain had too much forward pressure on the nose (in the event of a V1 cut; to assist with directional control). After V1 was called; the vibration got even more intense and we rotated at Vr. [Another aircarrier] flight reported that we blew a tire of the right side on ZZZ Tower. At positive climb; both the Captain and I decided to leave the landing gear down to prevent any other issues. Climb restrictions were not an issue as we were relatively light.We went to Departure and we advised them we would like to land in ZZZ on the longest runway (to be precautious because we did [not] know to what extent damage was done). We had an ANTISKID EICAS message. I ran the procedure and we now know we have lost antiskid and autobrakes. I then got the ATIS and sent for [landing] performance for Runway XXR with an ANTISKID fault to get the landing distance required under this circumstance. We were then vectored for the VOR XXR Approach. I set the box up as well as brief the Approach; backing the Captain up. We came in on the approach on Runway XXR safely (very bumpy on landing). We felt comfortable to take the next high speed taxiway; so we did. We exited [and airport Operations] inspected our tires after we shut engines down. The mechanic came out to the plane and said it is okay to taxi it to the ramp building; so the Captain said we'll make sure to watch the tire so we don't damage any pavement. [Airport Operations] and the mechanic agreed. We taxied to building following a Follow Me truck and was towed into [a] spot.
An interesting side note which may be irrelevant. At brake release; as we started taxiing; we heard a thump that we thought came from the nose gear. It sounded like a pothole or the aircraft rolling over a pavement break. When we taxied back we noticed that there was no pothole or pavement break. This is a question in my mind. Did the tire blow then? I thought the bump we felt came from the nose gear area but maybe it was that tire blowing? Taxi to takeoff was almost 40 minutes.Shortly after rotation from Runway XXL at approximately 144 knots; an aircraft in line behind us reported to Tower that we had blown a tire on takeoff. During the takeoff; I had felt what seemed to be an out-of-balance nose gear set. The vibration seemed to lessen when I reduced pressure on the nose gear. While the vibration was significant; it was not the worst I have ever felt - and I remember thinking I had to write up the nose gear tires when we landed.We heard the report from the other airplane on Tower frequency so I immediately elected to just leave the gear down. I kept the flaps at 10 and airspeed about 178 knots and complied with the heading and level off altitude of 5000 feet. We communicated our intentions to come back to ZZZ and they mentioned a [different] Runway XXL approach. I [asked for] priority handling and access to the longest runway. We asked for and received a clearance for the VOR XXR approach and were vectored about a bit while [Airport Operations] cleaned the debris from the runway. Approach asked us our intentions upon landing and we said we would see how the airplane felt and decelerated and that if possible; we would take a high-speed taxiway to clear the runway.The landing runway winds were from 220 at 15 knots and I made a conscious decision to land in a crab and let the wing drift up a bit; instead of a wing low landing into the wind as that would keep the least pressure on that tire in question. We touched down on centerline and on speed. Touchdown was approximately 145 knots and the vibration; while noticeable was; once again; not the worst I have experienced airplanes without a blown tire. The upwind wing came up a bit as planned. We decelerated and exited on [a] taxiway and came to a stop on [a different] taxiway.We raised the flaps and shut down the engines so that the fire department personnel would have easier access to the gear. They inspected and found no signs of fire. We elected to remain on the taxiway until Maintenance could inspect the gear and determine the best way to proceed. Maintenance arrived and inspected and we discussed whether or not to taxi or tow the aircraft. We determined that a re-start and taxi in would not be any more destructive to the airplane or taxiways than towing so that is how we proceeded. A maintenance truck and follow me accompanied us to parking at [the] building.Perhaps a deferred maintenance item for a missing brake wear indicator needs to be evaluated. I would also suggest that emergency procedures/suggestions be developed for tire failure and landing with a blown tire.
Air carrier flight crew reported a tire failure on takeoff and return to the departure airport.