Narrative:

Captain called for 'flaps 2' during departure from bil, then 'flaps up' after leading edge green light. I advised him the inboard flap indicator had stopped short of position 2 and raised the flap handle to 'up.' the outboard indicator showed full up, but the inboard stayed just below position 2. A test of the leading edge devices indicated all devices fully retracted. The so was directed to visually scan the flaps from the passenger cabin, and he reported the leading edge devices fully retracted, outboard flaps up, but the inboard flaps were slightly extended. The captain directed me to assume PF duties while he coordinated the irregular procedure pi-37 for split-trailing edger flaps with the so. I leveled off at 16000 ft and 230 KIAS after coordination with ATC (all done in VFR conditions). The captain and so reviewed and completed the irregular procedure I-37, but the inboard flaps stayed just below position 2. He attempted normal extension to position 5, and they extended normally. When he retracted them, the inboard flaps again stopped just below position 2. The captain initiated a 3-WAY radio connection with air carrier maintenance and chicago dispatch to determine a safe, prudent course of action. I had climbed to FL200 and 230 KIAS both within aircraft limitations with any flaps extended. We agreed on continuing to denver since fuel burn was extremely favorable, aircraft control was normal, and terrain clearance was not a factor. We anticipated a normal landing but prepared for and reviewed all procedures for an abnormal flap landing. The captain resumed PF duties during the descent and approach. Flaps extended normally, and an uneventful normal 30 flap landing was completed. Maintenance later advised us a flap bearing problem prevented the inboard flaps from fully retracting. Note: I felt that all actions were carefully discussed and procedures researched before acting. Good 'clear.' company called in for final determination and decision. Supplemental information from acn 220251: we then called maintenance and explained the situation and got dispatch on the line as well. When the problem could not be fixed we looked into the possibility of continuing on to an airport where maintenance could be done. Our destination den appeared to be the most logical choice. So we asked dispatch to give us the fuel burn, time en route, WX at destination, updated NOTAMS, etc.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CONTINUATION TO DEST ARPT AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: CAPT CALLED FOR 'FLAPS 2' DURING DEP FROM BIL, THEN 'FLAPS UP' AFTER LEADING EDGE GREEN LIGHT. I ADVISED HIM THE INBOARD FLAP INDICATOR HAD STOPPED SHORT OF POS 2 AND RAISED THE FLAP HANDLE TO 'UP.' THE OUTBOARD INDICATOR SHOWED FULL UP, BUT THE INBOARD STAYED JUST BELOW POS 2. A TEST OF THE LEADING EDGE DEVICES INDICATED ALL DEVICES FULLY RETRACTED. THE SO WAS DIRECTED TO VISUALLY SCAN THE FLAPS FROM THE PAX CABIN, AND HE RPTED THE LEADING EDGE DEVICES FULLY RETRACTED, OUTBOARD FLAPS UP, BUT THE INBOARD FLAPS WERE SLIGHTLY EXTENDED. THE CAPT DIRECTED ME TO ASSUME PF DUTIES WHILE HE COORDINATED THE IRREGULAR PROC PI-37 FOR SPLIT-TRAILING EDGER FLAPS WITH THE SO. I LEVELED OFF AT 16000 FT AND 230 KIAS AFTER COORD WITH ATC (ALL DONE IN VFR CONDITIONS). THE CAPT AND SO REVIEWED AND COMPLETED THE IRREGULAR PROC I-37, BUT THE INBOARD FLAPS STAYED JUST BELOW POS 2. HE ATTEMPTED NORMAL EXTENSION TO POS 5, AND THEY EXTENDED NORMALLY. WHEN HE RETRACTED THEM, THE INBOARD FLAPS AGAIN STOPPED JUST BELOW POS 2. THE CAPT INITIATED A 3-WAY RADIO CONNECTION WITH ACR MAINT AND CHICAGO DISPATCH TO DETERMINE A SAFE, PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION. I HAD CLBED TO FL200 AND 230 KIAS BOTH WITHIN ACFT LIMITATIONS WITH ANY FLAPS EXTENDED. WE AGREED ON CONTINUING TO DENVER SINCE FUEL BURN WAS EXTREMELY FAVORABLE, ACFT CTL WAS NORMAL, AND TERRAIN CLRNC WAS NOT A FACTOR. WE ANTICIPATED A NORMAL LNDG BUT PREPARED FOR AND REVIEWED ALL PROCS FOR AN ABNORMAL FLAP LNDG. THE CAPT RESUMED PF DUTIES DURING THE DSCNT AND APCH. FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY, AND AN UNEVENTFUL NORMAL 30 FLAP LNDG WAS COMPLETED. MAINT LATER ADVISED US A FLAP BEARING PROBLEM PREVENTED THE INBOARD FLAPS FROM FULLY RETRACTING. NOTE: I FELT THAT ALL ACTIONS WERE CAREFULLY DISCUSSED AND PROCS RESEARCHED BEFORE ACTING. GOOD 'CLR.' COMPANY CALLED IN FOR FINAL DETERMINATION AND DECISION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 220251: WE THEN CALLED MAINT AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND GOT DISPATCH ON THE LINE AS WELL. WHEN THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FIXED WE LOOKED INTO THE POSSIBILITY OF CONTINUING ON TO AN ARPT WHERE MAINT COULD BE DONE. OUR DEST DEN APPEARED TO BE THE MOST LOGICAL CHOICE. SO WE ASKED DISPATCH TO GIVE US THE FUEL BURN, TIME ENRTE, WX AT DEST, UPDATED NOTAMS, 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.