Flight crew of an large transport air carrier aircraft declared an emergency and returned to land af...

Attributes
ACN	246857
Time
Date	199307
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	246857
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While raising the flaps after takeoff in our large transport, we got a leading edge flap asymmetry warning. Lax departure control was notified and we were given delaying vectors while we sorted out the problem. I, the first officer, was told by the captain to 'fly the aircraft' and handle all ATC communications, while he reviewed the cockpit operating manual. The procedure for landing with a leading edge flap asymmetry is one of the more complicated procedures. The captain also contacted our dispatch and maintenance control for additional assistance. After determining we would be returning to lax, an emergency was declared, the leading edge flap asymmetry checklist was completed, and an uneventful partial flap landing was made at lax. One comment I would like to make is that during an emergency, the workload in a 2-MAN cockpit is very high. While going through the leading edge flap asymmetry procedure, I was given a holding clearance. The clearance was modified twice while inbound to the fix. We were within 8 mi of the holding fix which gave us little time to program the FMC. This just added to our workload. Los angeles is a high traffic area. More so than most other places. It would be helpful if ATC clrncs could be kept at a minimum during an emergency in 2-MAN cockpits.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT ACR ACFT DECLARED AN EMER AND RETURNED TO LAND AFTER A FLAP ASYMMETRY INDICATION DURING CLBOUT AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE RAISING THE FLAPS AFTER TKOF IN OUR LGT, WE GOT A LEADING EDGE FLAP ASYMMETRY WARNING. LAX DEP CTL WAS NOTIFIED AND WE WERE GIVEN DELAYING VECTORS WHILE WE SORTED OUT THE PROB. I, THE FO, WAS TOLD BY THE CAPT TO 'FLY THE ACFT' AND HANDLE ALL ATC COMS, WHILE HE REVIEWED THE COCKPIT OPERATING MANUAL. THE PROC FOR LNDG WITH A LEADING EDGE FLAP ASYMMETRY IS ONE OF THE MORE COMPLICATED PROCS. THE CAPT ALSO CONTACTED OUR DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL FOR ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. AFTER DETERMINING WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO LAX, AN EMER WAS DECLARED, THE LEADING EDGE FLAP ASYMMETRY CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED, AND AN UNEVENTFUL PARTIAL FLAP LNDG WAS MADE AT LAX. ONE COMMENT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT DURING AN EMER, THE WORKLOAD IN A 2-MAN COCKPIT IS VERY HIGH. WHILE GOING THROUGH THE LEADING EDGE FLAP ASYMMETRY PROC, I WAS GIVEN A HOLDING CLRNC. THE CLRNC WAS MODIFIED TWICE WHILE INBOUND TO THE FIX. WE WERE WITHIN 8 MI OF THE HOLDING FIX WHICH GAVE US LITTLE TIME TO PROGRAM THE FMC. THIS JUST ADDED TO OUR WORKLOAD. LOS ANGELES IS A HIGH TFC AREA. MORE SO THAN MOST OTHER PLACES. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF ATC CLRNCS COULD BE KEPT AT A MINIMUM DURING AN EMER IN 2-MAN COCKPITS.

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.

Flight crew of an large transport air carrier aircraft declared an emergency and returned to land after a flap asymmetry indication during climb out after takeoff.