A B757-200 on takeoff roll had a nose gear wheel and tire assembly depart the aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	442760
Time
Date	199907
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : stl.tower artcc : czqx.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 195 flight time total : 11067 flight time type : 1990
ASRS Report	442760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance maintenance problem : improper documentation non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection performance deficiency : installation performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

After gear retraction, stl tower advised us we might have lost a nosewheel. Gear retraction was normal with no unusual vibration and the hydraulic system appeared normal. I elected to continue to destination, mco. Runway length, width, and no strong xwinds at mco were factors for continuing to destination along with the fact that we would be able to burn off fuel to reduce our landing weight. The nose gear was observed by mco maintenance during a low approach and confirmed a nosewheel was in fact missing. The subsequent landing was normal and the aircraft rolled almost to the end of runway 18L and stopped. Flight xyz was then towed from the runway to the gate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 ON TKOF ROLL HAD A NOSE GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY DEPART THE ACFT.

Narrative: AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, STL TWR ADVISED US WE MIGHT HAVE LOST A NOSEWHEEL. GEAR RETRACTION WAS NORMAL WITH NO UNUSUAL VIBRATION AND THE HYD SYS APPEARED NORMAL. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO DEST, MCO. RWY LENGTH, WIDTH, AND NO STRONG XWINDS AT MCO WERE FACTORS FOR CONTINUING TO DEST ALONG WITH THE FACT THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BURN OFF FUEL TO REDUCE OUR LNDG WT. THE NOSE GEAR WAS OBSERVED BY MCO MAINT DURING A LOW APCH AND CONFIRMED A NOSEWHEEL WAS IN FACT MISSING. THE SUBSEQUENT LNDG WAS NORMAL AND THE ACFT ROLLED ALMOST TO THE END OF RWY 18L AND STOPPED. FLT XYZ WAS THEN TOWED FROM THE RWY TO THE GATE.

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.