Narrative:

On visual approach to atl with gear down and flaps at 15 degrees, I called for flaps 40 degrees and the before landing checklist. As the captain attempted to move the flap handle, it became jammed in the flap takeoff selector (dial-a-flap) which had been left at the 24 degree setting. In attempting to correct the problem, the flaps became stuck at 15 degrees. I asked the captain if he wanted to go around and he told me to continue while he worked on the problem. It became clear the flap handle could not be moved so the aircraft was uneventfully landed at flaps 15 degrees. After landing, I was finally able to unjam the handle and retract the flaps. Line check airmen have been experimenting with dscnts at flaps 24 degrees and crews have been warned via computer bulletin to check the flap takeoff selector to insure it's stowed. Since use of the dial-a-flap is so rare and in the past has only been used for takeoff, both the captain and I missed the improper setting during the preflight. It seems to me crews are being set up for this problem since the line check airmen are flying the aircraft in an unusual confign for descent and the after landing checklist doesn't call for the flap takeoff selector to be returned to its normal (stowed) position. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the resetting of the 'dial-a-flap' was not made by him or the captain even though it was on the before and after takeoff checklist. It should also be on the after landing checklist. He stated that the dial-a-flap is used so seldom, most pilots do not properly respond to the checklist item when it appears. However, since it is not on the after landing checklist, it is not a reminder to those that have used the pre-select flap setting. It was mentioned that it would also be difficult for the flight crew making the preselection, to lower the flaps to 40 degrees as attempted by the reporter! The reporter noted that a test program is being conducted wherein the flaps are placed down to 24 degrees instead of only 15 degrees for enhancing the en route descent feature of the aircraft. Therefore, dial-a-flap setting of 24 degrees is used for this test. Therefore, if this procedure works satisfactorily, all md-80 series my be changed accordingly and the need to re-stow the dial-a-flap setting would always be necessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF AN MD-88 EXPERIENCED A JAMMED FLAP CONDITION DURING FINAL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DISPLACE FLAPS TO 40 DEGS.

Narrative: ON VISUAL APCH TO ATL WITH GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS AT 15 DEGS, I CALLED FOR FLAPS 40 DEGS AND THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. AS THE CAPT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE FLAP HANDLE, IT BECAME JAMMED IN THE FLAP TKOF SELECTOR (DIAL-A-FLAP) WHICH HAD BEEN LEFT AT THE 24 DEG SETTING. IN ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE PROB, THE FLAPS BECAME STUCK AT 15 DEGS. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED TO GAR AND HE TOLD ME TO CONTINUE WHILE HE WORKED ON THE PROB. IT BECAME CLR THE FLAP HANDLE COULD NOT BE MOVED SO THE ACFT WAS UNEVENTFULLY LANDED AT FLAPS 15 DEGS. AFTER LNDG, I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO UNJAM THE HANDLE AND RETRACT THE FLAPS. LINE CHK AIRMEN HAVE BEEN EXPERIMENTING WITH DSCNTS AT FLAPS 24 DEGS AND CREWS HAVE BEEN WARNED VIA COMPUTER BULLETIN TO CHK THE FLAP TKOF SELECTOR TO INSURE IT'S STOWED. SINCE USE OF THE DIAL-A-FLAP IS SO RARE AND IN THE PAST HAS ONLY BEEN USED FOR TKOF, BOTH THE CAPT AND I MISSED THE IMPROPER SETTING DURING THE PREFLT. IT SEEMS TO ME CREWS ARE BEING SET UP FOR THIS PROB SINCE THE LINE CHK AIRMEN ARE FLYING THE ACFT IN AN UNUSUAL CONFIGN FOR DSCNT AND THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST DOESN'T CALL FOR THE FLAP TKOF SELECTOR TO BE RETURNED TO ITS NORMAL (STOWED) POS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE RESETTING OF THE 'DIAL-A-FLAP' WAS NOT MADE BY HIM OR THE CAPT EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ON THE BEFORE AND AFTER TKOF CHKLIST. IT SHOULD ALSO BE ON THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST. HE STATED THAT THE DIAL-A-FLAP IS USED SO SELDOM, MOST PLTS DO NOT PROPERLY RESPOND TO THE CHKLIST ITEM WHEN IT APPEARS. HOWEVER, SINCE IT IS NOT ON THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST, IT IS NOT A REMINDER TO THOSE THAT HAVE USED THE PRE-SELECT FLAP SETTING. IT WAS MENTIONED THAT IT WOULD ALSO BE DIFFICULT FOR THE FLC MAKING THE PRESELECTION, TO LOWER THE FLAPS TO 40 DEGS AS ATTEMPTED BY THE RPTR! THE RPTR NOTED THAT A TEST PROGRAM IS BEING CONDUCTED WHEREIN THE FLAPS ARE PLACED DOWN TO 24 DEGS INSTEAD OF ONLY 15 DEGS FOR ENHANCING THE ENRTE DSCNT FEATURE OF THE ACFT. THEREFORE, DIAL-A-FLAP SETTING OF 24 DEGS IS USED FOR THIS TEST. THEREFORE, IF THIS PROC WORKS SATISFACTORILY, ALL MD-80 SERIES MY BE CHANGED ACCORDINGLY AND THE NEED TO RE-STOW THE DIAL-A-FLAP SETTING WOULD ALWAYS BE NECESSARY.

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.