After takeoff air carrier experienced loud explosive sound in nose gear area.

Attributes
ACN	223536
Time
Date	199210
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iow
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau tower : ads
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise 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 : 250 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	223536
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2400
ASRS Report	223077
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from cle, experienced a loud explosion in nose wheel area. Consulted aircraft flight manual and company maintenance after level off. Maintenance and myself both of us figured it best to divert to den for maintenance support. Landing at den normal with no problems noted. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: callback made to first officer as PIC no answer. Reporter states there are 2 large springs on nose gear. One of them broke and shattered and sounded like a major explosion. Landing was fine and maintenance repaired. Flight continued on its way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER TKOF ACR EXPERIENCED LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND IN NOSE GEAR AREA.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM CLE, EXPERIENCED A LOUD EXPLOSION IN NOSE WHEEL AREA. CONSULTED ACFT FLT MANUAL AND COMPANY MAINT AFTER LEVEL OFF. MAINT AND MYSELF BOTH OF US FIGURED IT BEST TO DIVERT TO DEN FOR MAINT SUPPORT. LNDG AT DEN NORMAL WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: CALLBACK MADE TO FO AS PIC NO ANSWER. RPTR STATES THERE ARE 2 LARGE SPRINGS ON NOSE GEAR. ONE OF THEM BROKE AND SHATTERED AND SOUNDED LIKE A MAJOR EXPLOSION. LNDG WAS FINE AND MAINT REPAIRED. FLT CONTINUED ON ITS WAY.

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.