Main landing gear wheel fell off a beech 1900 during takeoff and initial climb.

Attributes
ACN	462179
Time
Date	200001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rkd.airport
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	462179
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On takeoff from rkd en route to bhb, the #4 main wheel and tire came off the aircraft (a passerby saw it happen and reported it to our company who then called us). Once we found this out, we declared an emergency and diverted to bgr. The landing at bgr was uneventful. Upon postflt inspection of the aircraft, we discovered that the wheel and tire were gone but the spindle nut and cotter pin were still in place. I believe that the wheel or bearing failed or both. There were no indications of a problem in the cockpit and a careful preflight had been conducted on the aircraft that morning as well as a postflt inspection after every leg (except when doing single engine turns). The bearing, nut and pin on this plane can't be inspected by the pilots because they are covered. I believe maintenance personnel should check these items more often. If they were inspected more often maybe this would not have taken place.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MAIN LNDG GEAR WHEEL FELL OFF A BEECH 1900 DURING TKOF AND INITIAL CLB.

Narrative: ON TKOF FROM RKD ENRTE TO BHB, THE #4 MAIN WHEEL AND TIRE CAME OFF THE ACFT (A PASSERBY SAW IT HAPPEN AND RPTED IT TO OUR COMPANY WHO THEN CALLED US). ONCE WE FOUND THIS OUT, WE DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED TO BGR. THE LNDG AT BGR WAS UNEVENTFUL. UPON POSTFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT, WE DISCOVERED THAT THE WHEEL AND TIRE WERE GONE BUT THE SPINDLE NUT AND COTTER PIN WERE STILL IN PLACE. I BELIEVE THAT THE WHEEL OR BEARING FAILED OR BOTH. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF A PROB IN THE COCKPIT AND A CAREFUL PREFLT HAD BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE ACFT THAT MORNING AS WELL AS A POSTFLT INSPECTION AFTER EVERY LEG (EXCEPT WHEN DOING SINGLE ENG TURNS). THE BEARING, NUT AND PIN ON THIS PLANE CAN'T BE INSPECTED BY THE PLTS BECAUSE THEY ARE COVERED. I BELIEVE MAINT PERSONNEL SHOULD CHK THESE ITEMS MORE OFTEN. IF THEY WERE INSPECTED MORE OFTEN MAYBE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.

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.