A B767-300ER WAS RELEASED FOR SVC WITH THE L NOSE GEAR WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY INSTALLED WITHOUT THE OTHER AXLE WASHER.

Narrative

ON THE NIGHT OF SEP/TUE/05; TECHNICIAN Y AND MYSELF WERE ASSIGNED TO THE ETOPS AND OVERNIGHT CHK ON ACFT X. I DON'T RECALL WHO FOUND THE L NOSE TIRE WORN BUT I PROCEEDED TO GET THE EQUIP TO CHANGE THE ASSEMBLY. AT THIS POINT; TECHNICIAN Z; WHO WAS ASSISTING US WITH THE ROUTINE CHK; ROLLED OUT A NEW TIRE ASSEMBLY. I JACKED UP THE NOSE TIRE AND LOOSENED THE LOCK BOLTS AND THE AXLE NUT. USUALLY; ONCE THE AXLE NUT IS BROKEN LOOSE; THE TANG WASHER WILL SLIDE RIGHT OFF THE AXLE. UNFORTUNATELY; IN THIS CASE; THE TANG WASHER STUCK TO THE TIRE ASSEMBLY; AND NEITHER TECHNICIAN Y; WHO PROCEEDED TO REMOVE THE TIRE FROM THE AXLE AND INSTALL THE NEW ASSEMBLY; NOR I NOTICED THIS. I DON'T RECALL WHO ACTUALLY TORQUED THE AXLE NUT TO THE AXLE BUT I REMEMBER ASKING TECHNICIAN Z TO MAKE SURE THERE WAS NO SPACER STUCK TO THE TIRE. I ENDED THE PROC BY INSTALLING THE LOCK BOLTS. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE ROUTINE CHK; I SIGNED OFF THE TIRE ON THE LOGBOOK AND NA'ED THE STEP OF THE JOB INSTRUCTION CARD WHERE IT INSTRUCTED TO CONFIRM THAT THE TANG WASHER OR AXLE WASHER WAS INSTALLED ON EXTERNALLY THREADED AXLES. THE ACFT DEPARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT AND A FEW DAYS LATER DURING A PREFLT INSPECTION; MAINT NOTICED THE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED NOSE TIRE ASSEMBLY. THE FACT IS THE TANG WASHER ON THE REMOVED TIRE STUCK TO THE BEARING WITH GREASE AND IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME THAT ONE BELONGED THERE WITH THE NEW ASSEMBLY. I CONFUSED THIS INSTALLATION WITH AN INTERNALLY THREADED AXLE.