A BEECH 1900D IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO LOSS OF NOSE GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY CAUSED BY A FAILED BEARING.

Narrative

FLT DEPARTED ZZZ ARPT AT XA07. ON LIFTOFF; THE NOSEWHEEL CAME OFF. ZZZ TKOF INFORMED US. ZZZ ADVISED US TO CONTINUE TO DENVER. WE HAD TO LAND THE PLANE WITH NO NOSEWHEEL SO IT WAS NECESSARY FOR US TO SET THE NOSE DOWN ON ITS AXLE. WE PERFORMED A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG AND LANDED WITHOUT MAJOR DAMAGE. WE KEPT PLANE ON THE RWY AND EVACED. NO PAX WERE INJURED. THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS TO THE CREW THAT THE BEARING HAD FAILED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A BEECH 1900D AND MAINT RPTED THE CAUSE OF THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY LOSS WAS A FAILED WHEEL BEARING. THE RPTR SAID IT WAS THE MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN THAT IF A BEARING FAILED ON THE NOSE GEAR THE WHEEL WOULD DEPART THE ACFT RATHER THAN ALLOW THE WHEEL TO FLOP AND WOBBLE AROUND THE AXLE AND CAUSE REAL STEERING DIFFICULTY. THE RPTR STATED THE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE GEAR WAS LIGHT AS ONLY THE AXLE AND STRUT PISTON NEEDED REPLACEMENT AND THE ACFT WAS BACK IN SVC LATER IN THE DAY. THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS EVACED ON THE RWY WITH NO INJURIES.