Flap control problem results in abnormal flap setting for landing which results in abnormal handling...

Attributes
ACN	304680
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : straight in arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	304680
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : ground less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight X originated in tpa. On the initial flap extension for takeoff the inboard trailing edge flaps came out very slowly resulting in asymmetrical flaps. We cycled the flap handle and the flaps extended normally. On approach into dtw when flaps 5 degrees was selected the inboard trailing edge flaps stopped at about 3 degrees following the abnormal procedures. We were able to lower them to 5 degrees but that was all. We landed with 5 degrees outboard and 30 degrees inboard flaps. On rollout the nose rose abruptly resulting in the tail skid making minor contact with the runway. Upon reflecting on the incident, it's apparent we might have avoided the problem had we taken the time to have maintenance look at the flaps in tpa. In trying to analyze why I made the decision to go without having the flaps looked at, I think it's because I believed there was no problem with the flaps in tpa. Once the flaps extended normally I dismissed the problem as a 'they will do that sometimes' type of thing. Had I taken the time to more closely think about the system and what had happened I would have concluded something was wrong. I did not take the time because we were busy trying to get a full flight out on time. Going through the busy process of engine start, pushback and pre takeoff checks caused me to dismiss this 'minor glitch.' I am a new captain and I just learned that nothing is a minor problem until it can be explained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLAP CTL PROB RESULTS IN ABNORMAL FLAP SETTING FOR LNDG WHICH RESULTS IN ABNORMAL HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS ON ROLLOUT RESULTING IN TAILSKID STRIKE.

Narrative: FLT X ORIGINATED IN TPA. ON THE INITIAL FLAP EXTENSION FOR TKOF THE INBOARD TRAILING EDGE FLAPS CAME OUT VERY SLOWLY RESULTING IN ASYMMETRICAL FLAPS. WE CYCLED THE FLAP HANDLE AND THE FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY. ON APCH INTO DTW WHEN FLAPS 5 DEGS WAS SELECTED THE INBOARD TRAILING EDGE FLAPS STOPPED AT ABOUT 3 DEGS FOLLOWING THE ABNORMAL PROCS. WE WERE ABLE TO LOWER THEM TO 5 DEGS BUT THAT WAS ALL. WE LANDED WITH 5 DEGS OUTBOARD AND 30 DEGS INBOARD FLAPS. ON ROLLOUT THE NOSE ROSE ABRUPTLY RESULTING IN THE TAIL SKID MAKING MINOR CONTACT WITH THE RWY. UPON REFLECTING ON THE INCIDENT, IT'S APPARENT WE MIGHT HAVE AVOIDED THE PROB HAD WE TAKEN THE TIME TO HAVE MAINT LOOK AT THE FLAPS IN TPA. IN TRYING TO ANALYZE WHY I MADE THE DECISION TO GO WITHOUT HAVING THE FLAPS LOOKED AT, I THINK IT'S BECAUSE I BELIEVED THERE WAS NO PROB WITH THE FLAPS IN TPA. ONCE THE FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY I DISMISSED THE PROB AS A 'THEY WILL DO THAT SOMETIMES' TYPE OF THING. HAD I TAKEN THE TIME TO MORE CLOSELY THINK ABOUT THE SYS AND WHAT HAD HAPPENED I WOULD HAVE CONCLUDED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I DID NOT TAKE THE TIME BECAUSE WE WERE BUSY TRYING TO GET A FULL FLT OUT ON TIME. GOING THROUGH THE BUSY PROCESS OF ENG START, PUSHBACK AND PRE TKOF CHKS CAUSED ME TO DISMISS THIS 'MINOR GLITCH.' I AM A NEW CAPT AND I JUST LEARNED THAT NOTHING IS A MINOR PROB UNTIL IT CAN BE EXPLAINED.

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.

Flap control problem results in abnormal flap setting for landing which results in abnormal handling characteristics on rollout resulting in tailskid strike.