Narrative:

During rollout after an aborted takeoff the aircraft developed a severe vibration first thought to be a flat tire. Inspection revealed that the left side axle nut had been lost from the nose strut and the wheel had begun to run off the axle. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the airplane was an ATR72. The axle and wheel were extensively chewed up and needed replacement. The axle nut safety pin, axle nut and outer bearing were missing from the axle. The reporter could not be certain that he observed the axle nut safety pin on his walkaround check. The axle did not appear to have any lubricant but that could have melted or burned off from the heat. Not sure of the maintenance action taken to return the aircraft to service.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATR ACFT AFTER A REJECTED TKOF ROLLOUT DEVELOPED A SEVERE NOSE GEAR VIBRATION CAUSED BY THE L NOSEWHEEL AND TIRE COMING OFF THE AXLE.

Narrative: DURING ROLLOUT AFTER AN ABORTED TKOF THE ACFT DEVELOPED A SEVERE VIBRATION FIRST THOUGHT TO BE A FLAT TIRE. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE L SIDE AXLE NUT HAD BEEN LOST FROM THE NOSE STRUT AND THE WHEEL HAD BEGUN TO RUN OFF THE AXLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE AIRPLANE WAS AN ATR72. THE AXLE AND WHEEL WERE EXTENSIVELY CHEWED UP AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE AXLE NUT SAFETY PIN, AXLE NUT AND OUTER BEARING WERE MISSING FROM THE AXLE. THE RPTR COULD NOT BE CERTAIN THAT HE OBSERVED THE AXLE NUT SAFETY PIN ON HIS WALKAROUND CHK. THE AXLE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY LUBRICANT BUT THAT COULD HAVE MELTED OR BURNED OFF FROM THE HEAT. NOT SURE OF THE MAINT ACTION TAKEN TO RETURN THE ACFT TO SVC.

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.