A B757-200 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE L NOSE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY INSTALLED INCORRECTLY. WHEEL SPACER NOT INSTALLED.

Narrative

ON AUG/THU/01 AT XA45; TECHNICIAN #1 AND TECHNICIAN #2 COMMENCED DEP PUSHBACK OF ACFT ABC AT ACR X GATE; ZZZ; US; INTL ARPT. IMMEDIATELY; AS THE FORWARD ACFT TIRES ROTATED; TECHNICIAN #1 NOTED A SILVER SPOT ON THE L NOSE TIRE AND STOPPED THE PUSHBACK OF ACFT ABC TO INVESTIGATE. BOTH TECHNICIAN #2 AND TECHNICIAN #1 DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A NAIL IN THE TIRE AND WHEN THE NAIL WAS REMOVED AIR ESCAPED. THE ACFT WAS PULLED BACK IN TO THE GATE AND THE WHEEL AND TIRE CHANGE PROC WAS BEGUN WITH URGENCY; CONSIDERING THE FLT DEP TIME HAD ALREADY EXPIRED. THE NEW WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY WAS PLACED ON THE AXLE AND THE NUT TORQUED AND SECURED BY TECHNICIAN #1 AND TECHNICIAN #2 WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF TECHNICIAN #3 ROTATING THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY FOR A GOOD SPIN CHK. APPARENTLY TECHNICIAN #1 AND TECHNICIAN #2 FORGOT TO PLACE A WASHER BEHIND THE AXLE NUT; BECAUSE A WASHER WAS FOUND ATTACHED TO THE OLD WHEEL WHEN IT WAS DELIVERED TO THE WHEEL SHOP IN XX. A FOLLOW-UP INSPECTION TO ACFT ABC ON AUG/WED/01 FOUND THE WASHER MISSING FROM BEHIND THE AXLE NUT BUT NO OTHER DEFECTS WERE NOTED. THERE WERE NO RPTED PROBS WITH THE ACFT NOSEWHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY DURING THE 27 DAY PERIOD BTWN AUG/THU/01 THROUGH AUG/WED/01; WHEN THE WASHER WAS THEN REATTACHED. THE WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY WAS ALSO CHANGED AUG/WED/01 AS A PRECAUTION.