L NOSEWHEEL OF A F100 CAME OFF DURING TKOF AT ORD. FLC WAS UNAWARE OF INCIDENT UNTIL AFTER POSTFLT INSPECTION WHEN PARKED AT THE RAMP AT PVD.

Narrative

UPON PREFLT INSPECTION WE HAD 2 SECURE NOSE GEAR TIRES. UPON SHUTDOWN IN PVD A MECH INFORMED US THAT WE ONLY HAD 1 NOSE GEAR TIRE. POSTFLT INSPECTION CONFIRMED THAT. THE L TIRE SEPARATED EITHER DURING TKOF OR DURING FLT. THE R NOSE GEAR TIRE APPEARED TO HAVE SOME SORT OF WIRED NUTS THAT SEEMED STRIPPED. I TOOK SOME PICTURES IF YOU WANT TO SEE THEM. WE AS A CREW HAD NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE L NOSE GEAR TIRE HAD SEPARATED. THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL NOISE OR OPERATIONAL DIFFICULTY THAT WOULD HAVE ALERTED US THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. AFTER THE FLT THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT SAID THAT SHE HEARD A QUICK; UNUSUAL; NOISE BUT NOTHING TO INFORM THE CREW ABOUT. WE LANDED ON RWY 23 AT PVD. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR SAID THAT THE L NOSEWHEEL CAME OFF BECAUSE ON AN OUTER BEARING FAILURE. THE ACR CAME OUT LATER WITH A MAINT BULLETIN THAT ADVISED GND CREWS TO BE SURE TO USE THE CORRECT TORQUE ON THE NOSEWHEEL NUTS OR LUGS. THEY REFED THE USE OF 'INCHES' VERSUS 'FOOT POUNDS' OF PRESSURE DURING THE TIGHTENING PROCS. APPEARS THAT THE BEARING WAS TOO TIGHT AND HAD THUS FAILED. THE R WHEEL FASTENERS WERE NORMAL; BOTH IN APPEARANCE AND IN MECHANICAL ASPECTS. RPTR DIDN'T KNOW IF FOKKER WAS ADVISED OF THIS EVENT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS NATURE THAT THE RPTR COULD ADDRESS.