Axle of nose wheel assembly fractured causing loss of 1 wheel and deflation of other wheel tire.

Attributes
ACN	196941
Time
Date	199112
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	196941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 55 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	196936
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While taxiing for takeoff on 15R at bwi, aircraft's nosewheel axle broke in two, right nosewheel separated from aircraft and left nosewheel became totally flat. I was slowly taxiing, in fact was braking, as I began to transition from inner taxiway to outer taxiway at the south turn at F. The aircraft suddenly, and somewhat violently, buckled and the nose dropped slightly. There also was a loud crunch, and then it was obvious that there was great resistance to any further taxiing. My left hard was on the nosewheel steering wheel but I could no longer make any turns. I continued braking, accompanied by bangings, scraping, and thumping noises from nosewheel area and came to a stop in about 20 or 30 ft, in center of taxiway outer. No injuries. Called company. Maintenance and state authorities subsequently arrived. Removed all passenger and crew with a people mover and returned to terminal. Aircraft towed in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AXLE OF NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY FRACTURED CAUSING LOSS OF 1 WHEEL AND DEFLATION OF OTHER WHEEL TIRE.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FOR TKOF ON 15R AT BWI, ACFT'S NOSEWHEEL AXLE BROKE IN TWO, R NOSEWHEEL SEPARATED FROM ACFT AND L NOSEWHEEL BECAME TOTALLY FLAT. I WAS SLOWLY TAXIING, IN FACT WAS BRAKING, AS I BEGAN TO TRANSITION FROM INNER TAXIWAY TO OUTER TAXIWAY AT THE S TURN AT F. THE ACFT SUDDENLY, AND SOMEWHAT VIOLENTLY, BUCKLED AND THE NOSE DROPPED SLIGHTLY. THERE ALSO WAS A LOUD CRUNCH, AND THEN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS GREAT RESISTANCE TO ANY FURTHER TAXIING. MY L HARD WAS ON THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING WHEEL BUT I COULD NO LONGER MAKE ANY TURNS. I CONTINUED BRAKING, ACCOMPANIED BY BANGINGS, SCRAPING, AND THUMPING NOISES FROM NOSEWHEEL AREA AND CAME TO A STOP IN ABOUT 20 OR 30 FT, IN CENTER OF TAXIWAY OUTER. NO INJURIES. CALLED COMPANY. MAINT AND STATE AUTHORITIES SUBSEQUENTLY ARRIVED. REMOVED ALL PAX AND CREW WITH A PEOPLE MOVER AND RETURNED TO TERMINAL. ACFT TOWED IN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.