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M20J pilot reported the electric switch did not activate the flap motor during flap retraction. After landing the flaps operated normally.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1617131 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201902 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | M-20 J (201) / Allegro |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | VFR Route |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Component | |
| Aircraft Component | Flap/Slat Control System |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Pilot Flying |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 44 Flight Crew Total 640 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe |
Narrative:
On routine ILS practice approach; I executed a low approach and moved to climb and retract the drag flaps. The flaps remained deflected; and the electric switch did not activate the flap motor as expected. Troubleshooting; including resetting the flap circuit breaker; did not bring improvement; so flight was continued to the aircraft's home airport due to sufficient climb performance; with flight being conducted entirely in the white airspeed arc. During the flight; I continued to attempt troubleshooting to bring the flaps up; but did not succeed. On the landing roll-out; as a checklist item and also out of a sense that maybe the lower airspeed or 'bump' from landing - though it was a very soft landing - may be a variable that could bring about change - I was surprised to find that the flaps did indeed retract. On taxi and prior to shutdown; I found the flaps to repeatedly behave correctly on further tests up and down.a similar event occurred about a year ago; with our maintenance shop considering that frost inside the flap mechanism could have been a factor or cause. I always doubted that; and believe that due to above-freezing temperatures today; we can rule that out. Out of abundance of caution; I then grounded the plane so our maintenance shop could inspect.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: M20J pilot reported the electric switch did not activate the flap motor during flap retraction. After landing the flaps operated normally.
Narrative: On routine ILS practice approach; I executed a low approach and moved to climb and retract the drag flaps. The flaps remained deflected; and the electric switch did not activate the flap motor as expected. Troubleshooting; including resetting the flap circuit breaker; did not bring improvement; so flight was continued to the aircraft's home airport due to sufficient climb performance; with flight being conducted entirely in the white airspeed arc. During the flight; I continued to attempt troubleshooting to bring the flaps up; but did not succeed. On the landing roll-out; as a checklist item and also out of a sense that maybe the lower airspeed or 'bump' from landing - though it was a very soft landing - may be a variable that could bring about change - I was surprised to find that the flaps did indeed retract. On taxi and prior to shutdown; I found the flaps to repeatedly behave correctly on further tests up and down.A similar event occurred about a year ago; with our maintenance shop considering that frost inside the flap mechanism could have been a factor or cause. I always doubted that; and believe that due to above-freezing temperatures today; we can rule that out. Out of abundance of caution; I then grounded the plane so our maintenance shop could inspect.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.