Narrative:

In descent into lga area, we were cleared to descend from 8000 ft to 4000 ft. When the vector we were given indicated the probability of a right turn to lga runway 31, I disconnected the autoplt and manually flew the aircraft. In order to get proper spacing for our right turn, approach control asked us to keep our speed up. We maintained approximately 240 KIAS at this point. We continued the descent as directed to 3000 and then to 2500 ft. I believe approach control then asked us to reduce to 180 KTS. We did so, extending 2 degrees of flaps at about 220 KTS, 5 degrees at 205 KTS. With the preceding aircraft in sight, and having been requested to slow to approach speed, the landing gear was lowered, the flaps were then extended to 15, 25, and 30 degrees. In order to gain a little more separation on the aircraft in front of us, and with the speed back to 140 KTS, the flaps were extended to 40 degrees. I heard or felt a 'thump' at this point, and the aircraft started a dutch roll type wallow. It felt like wake turbulence, and when I made some comment about it, the first officer said he thought I was in his (the other aircraft's) wake. I said I didn't think so since I thought it was a commuter in front of us and that would be an aircraft much smaller than our large transport. Having attained the degree of separation desired, and with the previous aircraft no longer a factor, I called for the flaps to be retracted 30 degrees for a more normal landing. The wallowing stopped, the remainder of the approach and landing were normal. As we cleared the runway, the flap handle was moved to the up position, the speed brake handle was moved full forward. We noted the flaps where extended 2 degrees. I accompanied the so on his post-flight inspection. We saw no apparent damage on the left wing. Inspection of the right wing showed torn metal hinges, and a section of the 'fore-flap' approximately 6 to 8 ft long was missing. Subsequent to report: a portion of the right fore-flap, approximately 8 ft long, was found in an empty lot some 3 mi from the end of runway 31.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT LOSES 8 FT OF 'FORE LAP' OFF R WING DURING VISUAL APCH IN A NIGHT OP.

Narrative: IN DSCNT INTO LGA AREA, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND FROM 8000 FT TO 4000 FT. WHEN THE VECTOR WE WERE GIVEN INDICATED THE PROBABILITY OF A R TURN TO LGA RWY 31, I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND MANUALLY FLEW THE ACFT. IN ORDER TO GET PROPER SPACING FOR OUR R TURN, APCH CTL ASKED US TO KEEP OUR SPD UP. WE MAINTAINED APPROX 240 KIAS AT THIS POINT. WE CONTINUED THE DSCNT AS DIRECTED TO 3000 AND THEN TO 2500 FT. I BELIEVE APCH CTL THEN ASKED US TO REDUCE TO 180 KTS. WE DID SO, EXTENDING 2 DEGS OF FLAPS AT ABOUT 220 KTS, 5 DEGS AT 205 KTS. WITH THE PRECEDING ACFT IN SIGHT, AND HAVING BEEN REQUESTED TO SLOW TO APCH SPD, THE LNDG GEAR WAS LOWERED, THE FLAPS WERE THEN EXTENDED TO 15, 25, AND 30 DEGS. IN ORDER TO GAIN A LITTLE MORE SEPARATION ON THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US, AND WITH THE SPD BACK TO 140 KTS, THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED TO 40 DEGS. I HEARD OR FELT A 'THUMP' AT THIS POINT, AND THE ACFT STARTED A DUTCH ROLL TYPE WALLOW. IT FELT LIKE WAKE TURB, AND WHEN I MADE SOME COMMENT ABOUT IT, THE FO SAID HE THOUGHT I WAS IN HIS (THE OTHER ACFT'S) WAKE. I SAID I DIDN'T THINK SO SINCE I THOUGHT IT WAS A COMMUTER IN FRONT OF US AND THAT WOULD BE AN ACFT MUCH SMALLER THAN OUR LGT. HAVING ATTAINED THE DEGREE OF SEPARATION DESIRED, AND WITH THE PREVIOUS ACFT NO LONGER A FACTOR, I CALLED FOR THE FLAPS TO BE RETRACTED 30 DEGS FOR A MORE NORMAL LNDG. THE WALLOWING STOPPED, THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. AS WE CLRED THE RWY, THE FLAP HANDLE WAS MOVED TO THE UP POS, THE SPD BRAKE HANDLE WAS MOVED FULL FORWARD. WE NOTED THE FLAPS WHERE EXTENDED 2 DEGS. I ACCOMPANIED THE SO ON HIS POST-FLT INSPECTION. WE SAW NO APPARENT DAMAGE ON THE L WING. INSPECTION OF THE R WING SHOWED TORN METAL HINGES, AND A SECTION OF THE 'FORE-FLAP' APPROX 6 TO 8 FT LONG WAS MISSING. SUBSEQUENT TO REPORT: A PORTION OF THE R FORE-FLAP, APPROX 8 FT LONG, WAS FOUND IN AN EMPTY LOT SOME 3 MI FROM THE END OF RWY 31.

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.