Aircraft equipment problem -- partial flap landing.

Attributes
ACN	304831
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	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	304831
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : second officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	304534
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On approach to land flaps extended normally to 2 degrees out when flaps 5 degrees selected the inboard segments stopped just past 2 degrees. Followed company procedures resulting in a partial flap landing with inboard trailing edge flaps at approximately 2 degrees. Also bumped the tail skid on landing -- no damage but not pretty. We suspected something like this may happen on taxi out as the same thing occurred. At that time we suspected it just a switch problem, so we cycled the flaps up and then extended normally. A more prudent course of action would have been to taxi back prior to takeoff and have maintenance inspect our flaps, potentially avoiding the entire situation. Why didn't we? All the wrong reasons, chiefly it would be inconvenient, we had a big day ahead of us, a full load of passenger making connections, crew rescheduling. We rationalized the problem and were 'spring-loaded' to go decision.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB -- PARTIAL FLAP LNDG.

Narrative: ON APCH TO LAND FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY TO 2 DEGS OUT WHEN FLAPS 5 DEGS SELECTED THE INBOARD SEGMENTS STOPPED JUST PAST 2 DEGS. FOLLOWED COMPANY PROCS RESULTING IN A PARTIAL FLAP LNDG WITH INBOARD TRAILING EDGE FLAPS AT APPROX 2 DEGS. ALSO BUMPED THE TAIL SKID ON LNDG -- NO DAMAGE BUT NOT PRETTY. WE SUSPECTED SOMETHING LIKE THIS MAY HAPPEN ON TAXI OUT AS THE SAME THING OCCURRED. AT THAT TIME WE SUSPECTED IT JUST A SWITCH PROB, SO WE CYCLED THE FLAPS UP AND THEN EXTENDED NORMALLY. A MORE PRUDENT COURSE OF ACTION WOULD HAVE BEEN TO TAXI BACK PRIOR TO TKOF AND HAVE MAINT INSPECT OUR FLAPS, POTENTIALLY AVOIDING THE ENTIRE SIT. WHY DIDN'T WE? ALL THE WRONG REASONS, CHIEFLY IT WOULD BE INCONVENIENT, WE HAD A BIG DAY AHEAD OF US, A FULL LOAD OF PAX MAKING CONNECTIONS, CREW RESCHEDULING. WE RATIONALIZED THE PROB AND WERE 'SPRING-LOADED' TO GO DECISION.

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.