B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft
The aircraft flew from ZZZ to ZZZ1 without any event. Lineup and wait was a right turn on to runway at ZZZ. Gate departure and taxi to runway were uneventful at ZZZ and ZZZ1. Cleared to lineup and wait at ZZZ1 on Runway XXL. The turn was to the left. Movement of steering was uneventful until straightening wheel for lineup on Runway XXL. Steering did not want to proceed no more than an inch from full left turn. The tiller was loose with no noted hydraulic feedback and freely moved one inch to a stop toward center. Aircraft came to a full stop on Runway XXL centerline and brakes set. Immediately notified tower; ops; maintenance; dispatch; flight attendants and passengers. I asked the assigned mechanic deadheading with us to come up to the flight deck. We reviewed the situation and possible solutions. I asked the FO to call ops and plan for passengers to deplane in the event we were unable to move the plane. They concurred and waited for further updates. Once maintenance arrived; the engines were shut down and normal checklists completed.Maintenance arrived and asked for the gear pins. A towbarless tractor was planned but later determined it could not be connected to the wheel because of the landing gear door. It was then that I learned the wheel was at a 90-degree angle with the oleo strut completely compressed. A tow-bar was used and an attempt was made to move the plane forward. The tractor was perpendicular to the bar. I informed maintenance that the brakes were still set and that I would remain clear of the tiller and rudder pedals and keep the hydraulics as is. The wheel did not move under tractor pressure. The bar and tractor were then repositioned in line with the wheel. Brakes were released and towing commenced. At that point the wheel turned. There were no abnormalities observed once the wheel was released from the failed position. We were then towed to the gate. No further incidents.Two items in the logbook: (1) entry for the nose wheel; (2) gear pins installed with the plane's pins.No information given to me by maintenance.
[Report narrative contained no additional information.]
B737 flight crew reported the nose gear steering failed while taxiing onto the runway.