Aircraft unable to taxi off active runway due nose gear steering problem.

Attributes
ACN	110409
Time
Date	198905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 5500
ASRS Report	110409
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On our flight from mia to ewr we took off and retracted the landing gear normally. Upon retraction the nose gear door light illuminated. We cycled the gear twice and were still unable to extinguish the light. We accelerated to cruise speed, felt no unusual vibration or noise to indicate that the door was open. After contacting company maintenance, I made the decision to continue the flight to ewr keeping cruise speed below gear extend speed. Nothing unusual was noted the entire flight, no excessive fuel burn noticed. On landing we requested runway 22R and decided to lower the gear early in the event we had any problems. No problems were noted on gear extension. Landing was normal at 145000#. When the nose gear was lowered we experienced a violent vibration as though we had a flat tire. Upon stopping the aircraft on the runway I realized I had no nose wheel steering. We told tower we could not taxi, called company for a tug and maintenance. They pinned our gear and towed us to the gate. Maintenance advised me that the steering torque link pin had come loose.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT UNABLE TO TAXI OFF ACTIVE RWY DUE NOSE GEAR STEERING PROBLEM.

Narrative: ON OUR FLT FROM MIA TO EWR WE TOOK OFF AND RETRACTED THE LNDG GEAR NORMALLY. UPON RETRACTION THE NOSE GEAR DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE CYCLED THE GEAR TWICE AND WERE STILL UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE LIGHT. WE ACCELERATED TO CRUISE SPD, FELT NO UNUSUAL VIBRATION OR NOISE TO INDICATE THAT THE DOOR WAS OPEN. AFTER CONTACTING COMPANY MAINT, I MADE THE DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO EWR KEEPING CRUISE SPD BELOW GEAR EXTEND SPD. NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED THE ENTIRE FLT, NO EXCESSIVE FUEL BURN NOTICED. ON LNDG WE REQUESTED RWY 22R AND DECIDED TO LOWER THE GEAR EARLY IN THE EVENT WE HAD ANY PROBS. NO PROBS WERE NOTED ON GEAR EXTENSION. LNDG WAS NORMAL AT 145000#. WHEN THE NOSE GEAR WAS LOWERED WE EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT VIBRATION AS THOUGH WE HAD A FLAT TIRE. UPON STOPPING THE ACFT ON THE RWY I REALIZED I HAD NO NOSE WHEEL STEERING. WE TOLD TWR WE COULD NOT TAXI, CALLED COMPANY FOR A TUG AND MAINT. THEY PINNED OUR GEAR AND TOWED US TO THE GATE. MAINT ADVISED ME THAT THE STEERING TORQUE LINK PIN HAD COME LOOSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.