Flap failure. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	293721
Time
Date	199501
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rzc
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 19000 msl bound upper : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 5700 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	293721
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After starting our descent out of FL230 we had a flap control fault on our flap computer. Pilots operating handbook states reset 1 time, if it does not clear then land as soon as practical. Captain called flight control, they wanted us to return to dallas fort worth approximately 1 hour 10 mins away. I agree with burning down fuel so I didn't mind the flight to dallas for a flaps 0 degree landing. But I felt we should declare an emergency because vref is near our maximum tire speed, also we didn't have factored landing data for a flaps 0 degree landing. However, we did have unfactored data so we knew we could stop, but regulations require us to have factored data when carrying passenger, which we had. Captain reluctant to declare an emergency because of paper work -- I guess. Although I felt safe about the entire operation, I agree with declaring anytime as safety precaution. It seems many pilots either have this macho thing about declaring an emergency or are afraid of the paper work, which I've never known anyone who had to fill out anything out of the ordinary. I have been trained a million times if any doubt declare to protect your passenger and yourself. Also, I would like more training to understand the FAA definition of practical versus possible, etc.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLAP FAILURE.

Narrative: AFTER STARTING OUR DSCNT OUT OF FL230 WE HAD A FLAP CTL FAULT ON OUR FLAP COMPUTER. PLTS OPERATING HANDBOOK STATES RESET 1 TIME, IF IT DOES NOT CLR THEN LAND AS SOON AS PRACTICAL. CAPT CALLED FLT CTL, THEY WANTED US TO RETURN TO DALLAS FORT WORTH APPROX 1 HR 10 MINS AWAY. I AGREE WITH BURNING DOWN FUEL SO I DIDN'T MIND THE FLT TO DALLAS FOR A FLAPS 0 DEG LNDG. BUT I FELT WE SHOULD DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE VREF IS NEAR OUR MAX TIRE SPD, ALSO WE DIDN'T HAVE FACTORED LNDG DATA FOR A FLAPS 0 DEG LNDG. HOWEVER, WE DID HAVE UNFACTORED DATA SO WE KNEW WE COULD STOP, BUT REGS REQUIRE US TO HAVE FACTORED DATA WHEN CARRYING PAX, WHICH WE HAD. CAPT RELUCTANT TO DECLARE AN EMER BECAUSE OF PAPER WORK -- I GUESS. ALTHOUGH I FELT SAFE ABOUT THE ENTIRE OP, I AGREE WITH DECLARING ANYTIME AS SAFETY PRECAUTION. IT SEEMS MANY PLTS EITHER HAVE THIS MACHO THING ABOUT DECLARING AN EMER OR ARE AFRAID OF THE PAPER WORK, WHICH I'VE NEVER KNOWN ANYONE WHO HAD TO FILL OUT ANYTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY. I HAVE BEEN TRAINED A MILLION TIMES IF ANY DOUBT DECLARE TO PROTECT YOUR PAX AND YOURSELF. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE MORE TRAINING TO UNDERSTAND THE FAA DEFINITION OF PRACTICAL VERSUS POSSIBLE, 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.