A B727-200 on landing had severe nose gear shimmy and loss of steering. Caused by a missing lower to...

Attributes
ACN	541008
Time
Date	200203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : maintenance
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	maintenance : technician
Qualification	technician : airframe technician : powerplant
Experience	maintenance repairman : 24 maintenance technician : 24
ASRS Report	541008
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Aircraft was launched from the airport on mar/xa/02. The torque link was disconnected for pushback. Upon disconnecting the tug and towbar from the aircraft, the torque link was reconnected utilizing the torque link lock pin. Both mechanics checked that the lock pin was installed correctly with the latch in the detent position. The aircraft was then taxied out making 2 right turns to taxiway B, proceeding onto the active runway eventually making a total of 5 turns. After lining up on the active runway, the aircraft made a normal takeoff with no gear problems. During landing, the pilot experienced severe nosewheel shimmy at 80 KTS. Utilizing alternate braking methods the pilot was able to keep the aircraft straight and then realized he had no steering. After coming to a stop he called tower and company came to tow aircraft off the runway. Upon maintenance inspection of the aircraft, they found a bushing missing from lower torque link assembly where lock pin is installed. The ground sense tube was bent, but lock pin was still attached to conduit in nosewheel. Both tires (nose) and the ground sense tube, conduit bracket as well as bushings on lower torque link were replaced. Inspection of the lock pin revealed no apparent damage but it was also replaced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 ON LNDG HAD SEVERE NOSE GEAR SHIMMY AND LOSS OF STEERING. CAUSED BY A MISSING LOWER TORQUE LINK BUSHING.

Narrative: ACFT WAS LAUNCHED FROM THE ARPT ON MAR/XA/02. THE TORQUE LINK WAS DISCONNECTED FOR PUSHBACK. UPON DISCONNECTING THE TUG AND TOWBAR FROM THE ACFT, THE TORQUE LINK WAS RECONNECTED UTILIZING THE TORQUE LINK LOCK PIN. BOTH MECHS CHKED THAT THE LOCK PIN WAS INSTALLED CORRECTLY WITH THE LATCH IN THE DETENT POS. THE ACFT WAS THEN TAXIED OUT MAKING 2 R TURNS TO TXWY B, PROCEEDING ONTO THE ACTIVE RWY EVENTUALLY MAKING A TOTAL OF 5 TURNS. AFTER LINING UP ON THE ACTIVE RWY, THE ACFT MADE A NORMAL TKOF WITH NO GEAR PROBS. DURING LNDG, THE PLT EXPERIENCED SEVERE NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY AT 80 KTS. UTILIZING ALTERNATE BRAKING METHODS THE PLT WAS ABLE TO KEEP THE ACFT STRAIGHT AND THEN REALIZED HE HAD NO STEERING. AFTER COMING TO A STOP HE CALLED TWR AND COMPANY CAME TO TOW ACFT OFF THE RWY. UPON MAINT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT, THEY FOUND A BUSHING MISSING FROM LOWER TORQUE LINK ASSEMBLY WHERE LOCK PIN IS INSTALLED. THE GND SENSE TUBE WAS BENT, BUT LOCK PIN WAS STILL ATTACHED TO CONDUIT IN NOSEWHEEL. BOTH TIRES (NOSE) AND THE GND SENSE TUBE, CONDUIT BRACKET AS WELL AS BUSHINGS ON LOWER TORQUE LINK WERE REPLACED. INSPECTION OF THE LOCK PIN REVEALED NO APPARENT DAMAGE BUT IT WAS ALSO REPLACED.

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 B727-200 on landing had severe nose gear shimmy and loss of steering. Caused by a missing lower torque link bushing.