AFTER NORMAL LANDING AND ROLL OUT OF THEIR B737-700 ACFT; PILOT FEELS A BUMP ON THE NOSE GEAR THAT FELT LIKE A BAD SPOT IN TAXIWAY CONCRETE. UPON ARRIVAL; RAMP CREW INFORMS PILOTS RIGHT NOSEWHEEL WAS MISSING.

Narrative

AFTER A NORMAL LNDG AND ROLLOUT ON RWY AT ZZZ; WE EXITED AT TXWY B. UPON TURNING ONTO TXWY N; I FELT A BUMP ON THE NOSE GEAR THAT FELT LIKE A BAD PLACE IN THE CONCRETE. UPON ARR AT THE GATE; WE WERE INFORMED BY THE RAMP CREW THAT WE WERE MISSING THE R NOSEWHEEL. THE WHEEL WAS RECOVERED BY THE ZZZ ARPT GND OPS FOLKS IN THE AREA WHERE TXWY B INTERSECTS TXWY N. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THE RIGHT HAND TURN FROM THE HIGH SPEED TAXIWAY WAS A NORMAL 90 DEGREE TURN; NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. AFTER THEY ARRIVED AT THE GATE; THE RAMP CREW TOLD THEM THE RIGHT NOSE WHEEL WAS MISSING. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION; MAINT REALIZED THE RIGHT NOSE WHEEL AXLE HAD SHEARED OFF; LEAVING APPROX THREE INCHES OF AXLE. REPORTER STATED HE WAS SURPRISED THE AXLE FOR THE RIGHT NOSE TIRE HAD BROKEN WHEN THE ACTUAL LOADING OF THE NOSE GEAR WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE LEFT WHEEL WHEN MAKING THEIR RIGHT TURN. THE LOWER PISTON SECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR STRUT WAS REPLACED AND THE ACFT RELEASED FOR SERVICE.