Flight crew of an large transport returned to land after the wing flaps indicated that they had not ...

Attributes
ACN	295368
Time
Date	199502
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl artcc : zoa
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Route In Use	departure other departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	295368
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : assigned or threatened penalties Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Departed atl on 255 degree heading using atl 3 departure cleared to 10000 ft MSL. On flap retraction, the inboard flaps stopped at 4 degrees. Unable to raise flaps, I decided to return to atl and land. An FAA flight standards inspection was riding on jumpseat. About this time the FAA observer (aci) interjected himself into the crew abnormal procedure and told the captain that he encountered the same problem with the aircraft with the inbound flight crew. He said they corrected it by tapping the gauge. Said to use screwdriver to remove gauge and reset it. This did not fix the problem. Aircraft returned to atl and landed without a problem. FAA said they are taking action against crew for removing gauge. FAA observer had prior knowledge of a mechanical problem with the aircraft and did not tell captain. FAA observer did not maintain sterile cockpit below 10000 ft. Abnormal procedure was interrupted by FAA observer. Captain did not retake control of situation until after removal of gauge. Crew resource management was destroyed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN LGT RETURNED TO LAND AFTER THE WING FLAPS INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NOT FULLY RETRACTED.

Narrative: DEPARTED ATL ON 255 DEG HDG USING ATL 3 DEP CLRED TO 10000 FT MSL. ON FLAP RETRACTION, THE INBOARD FLAPS STOPPED AT 4 DEGS. UNABLE TO RAISE FLAPS, I DECIDED TO RETURN TO ATL AND LAND. AN FAA FLT STANDARDS INSPECTION WAS RIDING ON JUMPSEAT. ABOUT THIS TIME THE FAA OBSERVER (ACI) INTERJECTED HIMSELF INTO THE CREW ABNORMAL PROC AND TOLD THE CAPT THAT HE ENCOUNTERED THE SAME PROB WITH THE ACFT WITH THE INBOUND FLT CREW. HE SAID THEY CORRECTED IT BY TAPPING THE GAUGE. SAID TO USE SCREWDRIVER TO REMOVE GAUGE AND RESET IT. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROB. ACFT RETURNED TO ATL AND LANDED WITHOUT A PROB. FAA SAID THEY ARE TAKING ACTION AGAINST CREW FOR REMOVING GAUGE. FAA OBSERVER HAD PRIOR KNOWLEDGE OF A MECHANICAL PROB WITH THE ACFT AND DID NOT TELL CAPT. FAA OBSERVER DID NOT MAINTAIN STERILE COCKPIT BELOW 10000 FT. ABNORMAL PROC WAS INTERRUPTED BY FAA OBSERVER. CAPT DID NOT RETAKE CTL OF SIT UNTIL AFTER REMOVAL OF GAUGE. CREW RESOURCE MGMNT WAS DESTROYED.

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 returned to land after the wing flaps indicated that they had not fully retracted.