A B767-400 was dispatched in non compliance with the nose gear wheel spacers not installed.

Attributes
ACN	518648
Time
Date	200107
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : powerplant technician : airframe
ASRS Report	518648
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : shop technician
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : lighting performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On jul/thu/01, aircraft required both nose tires replaced due to wear limits. I changed both nosewheel assemblies in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manual. During the wheel change, the outer spacer (washer) was inadvertently left off on both nosewheel assemblies due to the grease from the axle holding the washers to the wheels. The new nosewheel assemblies were installed, torqued, and secured, with no indication as to the spacers missing. I was notified when our company wheel and brake shop found the spacers affixed to the old nosewheel assemblies during teardown. No incident arose. Engineering got authority/authorized from boeing to fly the aircraft for a period of 10 days without the spacers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-400 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE NOSE GEAR WHEEL SPACERS NOT INSTALLED.

Narrative: ON JUL/THU/01, ACFT REQUIRED BOTH NOSE TIRES REPLACED DUE TO WEAR LIMITS. I CHANGED BOTH NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ACFT MAINT MANUAL. DURING THE WHEEL CHANGE, THE OUTER SPACER (WASHER) WAS INADVERTENTLY LEFT OFF ON BOTH NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES DUE TO THE GREASE FROM THE AXLE HOLDING THE WASHERS TO THE WHEELS. THE NEW NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES WERE INSTALLED, TORQUED, AND SECURED, WITH NO INDICATION AS TO THE SPACERS MISSING. I WAS NOTIFIED WHEN OUR COMPANY WHEEL AND BRAKE SHOP FOUND THE SPACERS AFFIXED TO THE OLD NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLIES DURING TEARDOWN. NO INCIDENT AROSE. ENGINEERING GOT AUTH FROM BOEING TO FLY THE ACFT FOR A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS WITHOUT THE SPACERS.

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.