Aircraft equipment problem repeats itself in the air after ground check seemed ok. Return land.

Attributes
ACN	267587
Time
Date	199403
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : shv
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	267587
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At gate prior to departure we had 3 flap control faults. All reset normally per checklist. I phoned maintenance control and was instructed to depwr aircraft, then repwr and test flaps with both engines running. We ran the flaps up and down. They tested normally. After liftoff we had another flap control fault which reset also. After leveloff at 11000 ft in a step climb to 24000 ft we had a second control fault. I contacted maintenance control and dispatch by radio and was instructed to return to shv. The return was normal with no further problems. I felt uncomfortable about departing but took maintenance control's suggestions/instructions to heart and departed. Contributing to this decision was fact we were at a non maintenance outstation with passenger already on the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB REPEATS ITSELF IN THE AIR AFTER GND CHK SEEMED OK. RETURN LAND.

Narrative: AT GATE PRIOR TO DEP WE HAD 3 FLAP CTL FAULTS. ALL RESET NORMALLY PER CHKLIST. I PHONED MAINT CTL AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO DEPWR ACFT, THEN REPWR AND TEST FLAPS WITH BOTH ENGS RUNNING. WE RAN THE FLAPS UP AND DOWN. THEY TESTED NORMALLY. AFTER LIFTOFF WE HAD ANOTHER FLAP CTL FAULT WHICH RESET ALSO. AFTER LEVELOFF AT 11000 FT IN A STEP CLB TO 24000 FT WE HAD A SECOND CTL FAULT. I CONTACTED MAINT CTL AND DISPATCH BY RADIO AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO SHV. THE RETURN WAS NORMAL WITH NO FURTHER PROBS. I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT DEPARTING BUT TOOK MAINT CTL'S SUGGESTIONS/INSTRUCTIONS TO HEART AND DEPARTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DECISION WAS FACT WE WERE AT A NON MAINT OUTSTATION WITH PAX ALREADY ON THE ACFT.

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.