Air carrier large transport crew member complains of ATC distrs created by approach controller requests during aircraft equipment problem that necessitates a return land.

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Attributes
ACN	215813
Time
Date	199207
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5800 msl bound upper : 5800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : slc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 4800 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	215813
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

During flap retraction got asymmetrical flap condition that locks out ability to raise flaps -- had to return to slc for maintenance. As soon as we advised ATC of problem, they gave us several headings, traffic callouts, questions on how many people were aboard, fuel and even a TA that required us to maintain visual separation from a departing aircraft. This was an incredible distraction! It took 1 pilot just to talk to ATC and answer the continuous radio calls. ATC should know that we must run checklists before we return to the airport -- hopefully they would keep the distrs to a min. Also, as soon as we indicated (for their planning) that we were going to have to return, they immediately vectored us to a high final -- thus increasing the confusion. They then asked us to keep up best forward speed for traffic behind us! ATC should try to keep distrs to a min anytime crews are having a problem -- regardless of how simple it may seem or regardless of the crew declaring an emergency (we did not). These distrs could have easily induced an error in either the checklist procedures or altitude bust or heading bust or etc, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT CREW MEMBER COMPLAINS OF ATC DISTRS CREATED BY APCH CTLR REQUESTS DURING ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM THAT NECESSITATES A RETURN LAND.

Narrative: DURING FLAP RETRACTION GOT ASYMMETRICAL FLAP CONDITION THAT LOCKS OUT ABILITY TO RAISE FLAPS -- HAD TO RETURN TO SLC FOR MAINT. AS SOON AS WE ADVISED ATC OF PROBLEM, THEY GAVE US SEVERAL HDGS, TFC CALLOUTS, QUESTIONS ON HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE ABOARD, FUEL AND EVEN A TA THAT REQUIRED US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM A DEPARTING ACFT. THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE DISTR! IT TOOK 1 PLT JUST TO TALK TO ATC AND ANSWER THE CONTINUOUS RADIO CALLS. ATC SHOULD KNOW THAT WE MUST RUN CHKLISTS BEFORE WE RETURN TO THE ARPT -- HOPEFULLY THEY WOULD KEEP THE DISTRS TO A MIN. ALSO, AS SOON AS WE INDICATED (FOR THEIR PLANNING) THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO RETURN, THEY IMMEDIATELY VECTORED US TO A HIGH FINAL -- THUS INCREASING THE CONFUSION. THEY THEN ASKED US TO KEEP UP BEST FORWARD SPD FOR TFC BEHIND US! ATC SHOULD TRY TO KEEP DISTRS TO A MIN ANYTIME CREWS ARE HAVING A PROBLEM -- REGARDLESS OF HOW SIMPLE IT MAY SEEM OR REGARDLESS OF THE CREW DECLARING AN EMER (WE DID NOT). THESE DISTRS COULD HAVE EASILY INDUCED AN ERROR IN EITHER THE CHKLIST PROCS OR ALT BUST OR HDG BUST OR ETC, ETC.

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.