What happened
The event occurred during the takeoff roll of a scheduled domestic passenger flight. As the aircraft accelerated down the runway, the inboard wheel on the right main landing gear assembly detached from the airframe. Despite this mechanical failure, the pilot maintained control and successfully returned to the airport of departure. The aircraft landed safely without any additional damage or incidents.
The investigation
Following the incident, maintenance personnel examined the landing gear assembly at the operator's facility. The inspection focused on the wheel bearing installation process. Investigators determined that the error occurred during the assembly phase of the wheel unit. Specifically, an incorrect type of wheel bearing had been installed when the wheel assembly was built up.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this event was a maintenance error. The installation of the wrong wheel bearing compromised the structural integrity of the wheel assembly under the stress of takeoff. This mechanical failure led directly to the separation of the wheel from the aircraft during critical flight operations.