THE NOSEWHEEL OF AN MLG VIBRATED DURING LIFT OFF. NOSEWHEEL BEARING NOT SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTENED AFTER A TIRE CHANGE.

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ON INITIAL ROTATION DURING TKOF FROM PHX ARPT; EXTREME VIBRATION NOTICED COMING FROM NOSEWHEEL ASSEMBLY. DURING TIRE SPINDOWN; AFTER RETRACTION; MORE VIBRATION AND NOISE NOTICED. SUSPECTED TIRE; OR TREAD; OR BEARING FAILURE. ADVISED COMPANY MAINT CTLR OF PROB BY RADIO. WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTINUE TO ABQ; AND THAT CONTRACT MAINT WOULD BE STANDING BY. WE MADE A NORMAL APCH; GEAR EXTENSION AND LNDG; TAKING CARE TO FEEL FOR ANY ABNORMALITIES REGARDING NOSE GEAR ON TOUCHDOWN. NO EMER EQUIP REQUIRED. WE TAXIED TO GATE; AND CONTRACT MECH FOUND NO PROBS WITH TIRES. HE THEN JACKED NOSEWHEEL UP AND FOUND #1 NOSEWHEEL WOBBLING EXCESSIVELY. UPON REPLACEMENT OF THE TIRE AND WHEEL; IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE NOSE TIRE BEARING AXLE NUT WAS NOT PROPERLY TORQUED (SECURED). ALLEN BOLTS WERE INSTALLED AND SAFETY WIRE WAS INTACT; INDICATING AN INSTALLATION ERROR; NEGLIGENCE. THERE HAD BEEN DAILY CHKS PERFORMED FOR 3 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. IN NO WAY WOULD NORMAL WALK-AROUND REVEAL THIS KIND OF PROB. INCIDENT OCCURRED SEP/XX/95 LCL; DAILY CHKS WENT BACK TO SEP/XU/95 LCL. THE IMPROPER SECURING OF THE AXLE NUT IS A HUMAN OVERSIGHT. CONCLUSION IS CLR THAT WHEEL DESTRUCTION; CAUSED BY BEARING AND AXLE FAILURE WAS IMMINENTLY POSSIBLE; ENDANGERING THE LIVES AND PROPERTY OF OTHERS. THE TIRE REPLACEMENT THAT CAUSED THE PROB WAS DONE AS A RESULT OF A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT OF NOSEWHEEL SHIMMY; WHICH WOULD PROBABLY BE UNRELATED TO THIS INCIDENT.