A B757-200 was dispatched with the left nose gear axle nut spacer missing.

Attributes
ACN	385208
Time
Date	199711
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	385208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My partner and I were assigned to replace both nose tires on aircraft XXX. We jacked the axle. I replaced the right hand tire while my partner replaced the left hand tire. I completed my side first and began filling out the tire tag. My partner had removed his tire and I filled that tag, by this time he had completed the left hand tire, we lowered the jack, returned the equipment and signed off the write-ups. 4 days later we learned that the left hand tire had no spacer on it. This defect was found during tire breakdown. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated when removing the wheel and tire assembly the spacer sticks to the grease in the removed wheel and is overlooked. The reporter said the maintenance manual job card calls out on the installation procedure of the wheel to install the spacer and axle nut. The reporter stated that omission of the spacer has occurred often enough on the nose and main gear of all airplanes to get some positive fix.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE L NOSE GEAR AXLE NUT SPACER MISSING.

Narrative: MY PARTNER AND I WERE ASSIGNED TO REPLACE BOTH NOSE TIRES ON ACFT XXX. WE JACKED THE AXLE. I REPLACED THE R HAND TIRE WHILE MY PARTNER REPLACED THE L HAND TIRE. I COMPLETED MY SIDE FIRST AND BEGAN FILLING OUT THE TIRE TAG. MY PARTNER HAD REMOVED HIS TIRE AND I FILLED THAT TAG, BY THIS TIME HE HAD COMPLETED THE L HAND TIRE, WE LOWERED THE JACK, RETURNED THE EQUIP AND SIGNED OFF THE WRITE-UPS. 4 DAYS LATER WE LEARNED THAT THE L HAND TIRE HAD NO SPACER ON IT. THIS DEFECT WAS FOUND DURING TIRE BREAKDOWN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED WHEN REMOVING THE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY THE SPACER STICKS TO THE GREASE IN THE REMOVED WHEEL AND IS OVERLOOKED. THE RPTR SAID THE MAINT MANUAL JOB CARD CALLS OUT ON THE INSTALLATION PROC OF THE WHEEL TO INSTALL THE SPACER AND AXLE NUT. THE RPTR STATED THAT OMISSION OF THE SPACER HAS OCCURRED OFTEN ENOUGH ON THE NOSE AND MAIN GEAR OF ALL AIRPLANES TO GET SOME POSITIVE FIX.

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.