Missing nose wheel discovered on Orient Thai B733 after landing
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Asia
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Missing nose wheel discovered on Orient Thai B733 after landing
Orient Thai Airlines Boeing 737-300 landed at Nanning, China, following an apparently incident-free flight from Phuket, Thailand.
However, post-flight examination found left-hand nose wheel to be missing because of a fractured axle.
The missing wheel remains missing.
Incident: Orient Thai B733 at Nanning on Apr 11th 2016, dropped nose wheel
However, post-flight examination found left-hand nose wheel to be missing because of a fractured axle.
The missing wheel remains missing.
Incident: Orient Thai B733 at Nanning on Apr 11th 2016, dropped nose wheel
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Canada
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Also happened in 2009 on taxi. Boeing 737-7Q8, registered VH-VBA, and the ASTB conclusion was "The fatigue crack had originated under the influence of residual stresses in the steel surface associated with grinding damage during manufacture, and its initiation was probably hydrogen-assisted from plating processes applied to the journal bearing surfaces."
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Perth - Western Australia
Age: 75
Posts: 1,805
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You gotta admit, it speaks volumes for Boeing engineering and design, that a 737 could still take off, fly, and land quite happily, with a nose wheel and half an axle missing. 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Wales
Posts: 532
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Looks perfectly serviceable to me, for the flight back to base....
The Missing Wheel is most likely bobbing around in the Pacific Ocean, complete with its bearings and associated grease.
Must have been a smooth landing though...
The Missing Wheel is most likely bobbing around in the Pacific Ocean, complete with its bearings and associated grease.
Must have been a smooth landing though...
Or, "Nose wheel found/discovered missing..."
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: UK
Posts: 3,325
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
When BEA were operating Elizabethans (Airspeed Ambassadors) in the 1950s they had a habit of shedding the (single) nosewheel. One fell off when the gear was lowered over the centre of Rome - that was never found either!
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: last time I looked I was still here.
Posts: 4,507
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Was there not a case of (I think a small Airbus at LGW) losing a main wheel on takeoff? The sight of this bouncing bomb hurtling down the runway was scary like heck. I don't know if it took out the LOC aerial or what damage. I'm even thinking the crew might have been overtaken by it. Can't remember what they did when told.