That's a definitive statement you can't make. PKP has the ability to work it's way into nooks and crannies undetected. In fact the pilot's spotlight onboard helo #1 was found to be inoperative on the deck of the Nimitz prior to launch and had to be replaced. Not long after the flight crossed the coast problems were being experienced with both the PINS and Omega systems onboard all helos. The TACAN in #5 had failed shortly after leaving the Nimitz and it also was having yaw problems from the AFCS. The BIM failure on #6 was never troubleshot because that bird was abandoned. What caused #2 to lose it's second stage hydraulics? What caused the AH and the electric compass on #5 to fail?
Two, that final helo that crashed, did so because he was relocating to the opposite side of the staging area to be refueled for the flight back to the Nimitz, not because of any nosewheel damage. A C-130 had some damage, but they were still able to fly out, is that what you were thinking of?
No. Helo #3, piloted by Jim Schaefer, had both nosewheel tires damaged and deflated upon landing at Desert One. Because of this Schaefer had to air taxi a short distance, set down and let the dust settle and then repeat, a technique he called "wounded frog." The same thing happened to Seiffert when he landed Helo #1. Schaefer was maneuvering his bird to the northeast so one of the C-130s, #4 piloted by Hal Lewis, could taxi and takeoff. He was low on fuel and had to leave before Oldfield, in Helo #6, could finish getting refueled. Schaefer had already been refueled. It is believed that due to density altitude and weight limits on performance that Schaefer wasn't able to develop enough power to lift off and fly over the C-130. Had he been able to make a rolling takeoff, which he couldn't due to the nosewheel problems, he probably would have cleared the C-130.
\ But seriously, how can a flame retardant seep into an avionics cabinet and destroy the afcs and TACAN on one, and the bims on another?