A B737-300 was dispatched with the #3 main gear wheel and tire assembly installed improperly with B7...

Attributes
ACN	428935
Time
Date	199902
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
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	428935
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	428729
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Aircraft departed and lost #3 main wheel assembly. Was found missing by next flight crew designated to fly aircraft. Wheel was installed jan/xa/99, at ZZZ. Wheel was built up at ZZZ tire shop jan/xx/99. Outboard bearing (outer on wheel) was failed. Also axle on landing gear found cracked. Wheel assembly built up by 1 man, including inflation, bearing installation and final sign off. Unknown who inspected bearings as no paperwork covers this. 1 man sign off standard procedure in this tire shop. Mechanic received no training for tire build-up. Bearing stock in shop not controled. No second eye sign off for bearing installation or build-up. Unknown at this time exact cause of failure. Mechanic works part time in tire shop. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the B737-300 wheel and tire assembly was built up in the tire shop in ZZZ and installed on a B737-300 aircraft in ZZZ. The reporter said the tire and wheel assembly was built up correctly except it was delivered with a B737-200 wheel bearings which were installed causing the outer bearing to fail, the wheel departing the aircraft and the axle incurring damage. The reporter stated the person who built the tire and wheel assembly and matched the improper bearings to the assembly is not regularly assigned to the tire shop but was sent in to help during a busy period. The reporter said a better method of signing off job cards and inspection procedure is needed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED WITH THE #3 MAIN GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED IMPROPERLY WITH B737-200 WHEEL BEARINGS RESULTING IN LOSS OF THE WHEEL.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED AND LOST #3 MAIN WHEEL ASSEMBLY. WAS FOUND MISSING BY NEXT FLC DESIGNATED TO FLY ACFT. WHEEL WAS INSTALLED JAN/XA/99, AT ZZZ. WHEEL WAS BUILT UP AT ZZZ TIRE SHOP JAN/XX/99. OUTBOARD BEARING (OUTER ON WHEEL) WAS FAILED. ALSO AXLE ON LNDG GEAR FOUND CRACKED. WHEEL ASSEMBLY BUILT UP BY 1 MAN, INCLUDING INFLATION, BEARING INSTALLATION AND FINAL SIGN OFF. UNKNOWN WHO INSPECTED BEARINGS AS NO PAPERWORK COVERS THIS. 1 MAN SIGN OFF STANDARD PROC IN THIS TIRE SHOP. MECH RECEIVED NO TRAINING FOR TIRE BUILD-UP. BEARING STOCK IN SHOP NOT CTLED. NO SECOND EYE SIGN OFF FOR BEARING INSTALLATION OR BUILD-UP. UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME EXACT CAUSE OF FAILURE. MECH WORKS PART TIME IN TIRE SHOP. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE B737-300 WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY WAS BUILT UP IN THE TIRE SHOP IN ZZZ AND INSTALLED ON A B737-300 ACFT IN ZZZ. THE RPTR SAID THE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY WAS BUILT UP CORRECTLY EXCEPT IT WAS DELIVERED WITH A B737-200 WHEEL BEARINGS WHICH WERE INSTALLED CAUSING THE OUTER BEARING TO FAIL, THE WHEEL DEPARTING THE ACFT AND THE AXLE INCURRING DAMAGE. THE RPTR STATED THE PERSON WHO BUILT THE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND MATCHED THE IMPROPER BEARINGS TO THE ASSEMBLY IS NOT REGULARLY ASSIGNED TO THE TIRE SHOP BUT WAS SENT IN TO HELP DURING A BUSY PERIOD. THE RPTR SAID A BETTER METHOD OF SIGNING OFF JOB CARDS AND INSPECTION PROC IS NEEDED.

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.

A B737-300 was dispatched with the #3 main gear wheel and tire assembly installed improperly with B737-200 wheel bearings resulting in loss of the wheel.