Partial wing flap failure causes controlability problems while in traffic pattern at iah.

Attributes
ACN	167132
Time
Date	199012
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah tower : phl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	approach : circling
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	167132
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

During pilot trner while circling to land iah runway 9 and lowering flaps to 40 degrees (flaps 40 degrees required for air carrier qualifications), a loud noise was heard from the cabin. After touch and go landing and after retracting flaps, 40-50 degrees of right aileron was required to hold wings level. ATC vectored for an ILS. As flaps were extended, aircraft had a tendency to roll right, requiring 40-50 degrees left aileron. Visibility inspection of wings prior to flap extension revealed nothing abnormal; however, visibility inspection after flap extension revealed large piece of metal (8') extending from right outboard trailing edge flaps. An emergency was declared and an uneventful 25 degree flap landing was made. Tower was advised to inspect runway and taxiway for debris.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PARTIAL WING FLAP FAILURE CAUSES CONTROLABILITY PROBLEMS WHILE IN TRAFFIC PATTERN AT IAH.

Narrative: DURING PLT TRNER WHILE CIRCLING TO LAND IAH RWY 9 AND LOWERING FLAPS TO 40 DEGS (FLAPS 40 DEGS REQUIRED FOR ACR QUALIFICATIONS), A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE CABIN. AFTER TOUCH AND GO LNDG AND AFTER RETRACTING FLAPS, 40-50 DEGS OF RIGHT AILERON WAS REQUIRED TO HOLD WINGS LEVEL. ATC VECTORED FOR AN ILS. AS FLAPS WERE EXTENDED, ACFT HAD A TENDENCY TO ROLL RIGHT, REQUIRING 40-50 DEGS LEFT AILERON. VIS INSPECTION OF WINGS PRIOR TO FLAP EXTENSION REVEALED NOTHING ABNORMAL; HOWEVER, VIS INSPECTION AFTER FLAP EXTENSION REVEALED LARGE PIECE OF METAL (8') EXTENDING FROM RIGHT OUTBOARD TRAILING EDGE FLAPS. AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND AN UNEVENTFUL 25 DEG FLAP LNDG WAS MADE. TWR WAS ADVISED TO INSPECT RWY AND TXWY FOR DEBRIS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.