Narrative:

On initial rotation during takeoff from phx airport, extreme vibration noticed coming from nosewheel assembly. During tire spindown, after retraction, more vibration and noise noticed. Suspected tire, or tread, or bearing failure. Advised company maintenance controller of problem by radio. We were advised to continue to abq, and that contract maintenance would be standing by. We made a normal approach, gear extension and landing, taking care to feel for any abnormalities regarding nose gear on touchdown. No emergency equipment required. We taxied to gate, and contract mechanic found no problems with tires. He then jacked nosewheel up and found #1 nosewheel wobbling excessively. Upon replacement of the tire and wheel, it was discovered that the nose tire bearing axle nut was not properly torqued (secured). Allen bolts were installed and safety wire was intact, indicating an installation error, negligence. There had been daily checks performed for 3 days prior to incident. In no way would normal walk-around reveal this kind of problem. Incident occurred sep/xx/95 local, daily checks went back to sep/xu/95 local. The improper securing of the axle nut is a human oversight. Conclusion is clear that wheel destruction, caused by bearing and axle failure was imminently possible, endangering the lives and property of others. The tire replacement that caused the problem was done as a result of a previous complaint of nosewheel shimmy, which would probably be unrelated to this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE NOSEWHEEL OF AN MLG VIBRATED DURING LIFT OFF. NOSEWHEEL BEARING NOT SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AFTER A TIRE CHANGE.

Narrative: ON INITIAL ROTATION DURING TKOF FROM PHX ARPT, EXTREME VIBRATION NOTICED COMING FROM NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY. DURING TIRE SPINDOWN, AFTER RETRACTION, MORE VIBRATION AND NOISE NOTICED. SUSPECTED TIRE, OR TREAD, OR BEARING FAILURE. ADVISED COMPANY MAINT CTLR OF PROB BY RADIO. WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO ABQ, AND THAT CONTRACT MAINT WOULD BE STANDING BY. WE MADE A NORMAL APCH, GEAR EXTENSION AND LNDG, TAKING CARE TO FEEL FOR ANY ABNORMALITIES REGARDING NOSE GEAR ON TOUCHDOWN. NO EMER EQUIP REQUIRED. WE TAXIED TO GATE, AND CONTRACT MECH FOUND NO PROBS WITH TIRES. HE THEN JACKED NOSEWHEEL UP AND FOUND #1 NOSEWHEEL WOBBLING EXCESSIVELY. UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE AND WHEEL, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSE TIRE BEARING AXLE NUT WAS NOT PROPERLY TORQUED (SECURED). ALLEN BOLTS WERE INSTALLED AND SAFETY WIRE WAS INTACT, INDICATING AN INSTALLATION ERROR, NEGLIGENCE. THERE HAD BEEN DAILY CHKS PERFORMED FOR 3 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. IN NO WAY WOULD NORMAL WALK-AROUND REVEAL THIS KIND OF PROB. INCIDENT OCCURRED SEP/XX/95 LCL, DAILY CHKS WENT BACK TO SEP/XU/95 LCL. THE IMPROPER SECURING OF THE AXLE NUT IS A HUMAN OVERSIGHT. CONCLUSION IS CLR THAT WHEEL DESTRUCTION, CAUSED BY BEARING AND AXLE FAILURE WAS IMMINENTLY POSSIBLE, ENDANGERING THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF OTHERS. THE TIRE REPLACEMENT THAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS DONE AS A RESULT OF A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT OF NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY, WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE UNRELATED TO THIS INCIDENT.

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.