Nose wheel glitch prompts safety checks

Virgin Blue has checked all Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet after the nose wheel of a jet fell off while taxiing to the runway in Melbourne.

The airline said yesterday that the axle had sheered on the right nose wheel, causing the wheel to fall off.

"We are satisfied that there was no risk to safety and we took immediate steps to return the aircraft to the terminal and commenced investigations with the safety authorities and Boeing," an airline spokeswoman said. She said similar incidents had occurred with other airlines.