Narrative:

We had a normal push and beginning taxi toward runway. Our flight was cleared onto 'runway 19R position and hold' by tower. Captain steered aircraft into position for takeoff; but when trying to align aircraft with runway; nosewheel stayed in the extreme left position. The nosewheel would not straighten for takeoff. It stayed left so that aircraft would only turn left. Despite attempts to straighten; nosewheel stayed to left and we were unable to take off when cleared. We notified tower that we were unable to take off due to the nosewheel stuck in the left position. Asked operations for a tug to tow us clear as soon as possible. Briefed everyone concerned. Towed back to gate without incident. Aircraft just came out of heavy 'C' check. On initial walkaround noted hydraulic fluid on tail section. Mechanics indicated that it was left over fluid from heavy check that should have been cleaned off. Created a delay. Strange that an aircraft just out of 'C' check could have so many problems right away. There was nothing that the crew could have done differently. Aircraft broke during normal procedures. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the airplane was just out of a heavy check and had numerous problems before the first flight. Hydraulic fluid all over the tail section that had to be checked for leaks and cleaned up. The flight appeared normal until departure when the nose gear was locked in a left turn and the airplane had to be towed to the gate. On checking with maintenance it was reported a steering check found no fault then a more intensified check discovered debris in the nose steering collars and these were replaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-400 CAPT STEERED ACFT INTO POS FOR TKOF AND WHEN ALIGNING ACFT FOR TKOF NOSEWHEEL STAYED IN EXTREME L TURN.

Narrative: WE HAD A NORMAL PUSH AND BEGINNING TAXI TOWARD RWY. OUR FLT WAS CLRED ONTO 'RWY 19R POS AND HOLD' BY TWR. CAPT STEERED ACFT INTO POS FOR TKOF; BUT WHEN TRYING TO ALIGN ACFT WITH RWY; NOSEWHEEL STAYED IN THE EXTREME L POS. THE NOSEWHEEL WOULD NOT STRAIGHTEN FOR TKOF. IT STAYED L SO THAT ACFT WOULD ONLY TURN L. DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO STRAIGHTEN; NOSEWHEEL STAYED TO L AND WE WERE UNABLE TO TAKE OFF WHEN CLRED. WE NOTIFIED TWR THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO TAKE OFF DUE TO THE NOSEWHEEL STUCK IN THE L POS. ASKED OPS FOR A TUG TO TOW US CLR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BRIEFED EVERYONE CONCERNED. TOWED BACK TO GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT. ACFT JUST CAME OUT OF HVY 'C' CHK. ON INITIAL WALKAROUND NOTED HYD FLUID ON TAIL SECTION. MECHS INDICATED THAT IT WAS LEFT OVER FLUID FROM HVY CHK THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLEANED OFF. CREATED A DELAY. STRANGE THAT AN ACFT JUST OUT OF 'C' CHK COULD HAVE SO MANY PROBS RIGHT AWAY. THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THE CREW COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY. ACFT BROKE DURING NORMAL PROCS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE AIRPLANE WAS JUST OUT OF A HVY CHK AND HAD NUMEROUS PROBS BEFORE THE FIRST FLT. HYD FLUID ALL OVER THE TAIL SECTION THAT HAD TO BE CHKED FOR LEAKS AND CLEANED UP. THE FLT APPEARED NORMAL UNTIL DEP WHEN THE NOSE GEAR WAS LOCKED IN A L TURN AND THE AIRPLANE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE GATE. ON CHKING WITH MAINT IT WAS RPTED A STEERING CHK FOUND NO FAULT THEN A MORE INTENSIFIED CHK DISCOVERED DEBRIS IN THE NOSE STEERING COLLARS AND THESE WERE REPLACED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.