Aircraft equipment problem -- air carrier has a split flap condition develop during retraction.

Attributes
ACN	309096
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jfk
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial descent : approach landing 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 : 150 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 3500
ASRS Report	309096
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On takeoff, upon flap retraction from flaps 2 degrees to up, outboard flaps split. Leveled at 3000 ft MSL, requested vectors to stay in area. Investigated, discussed, decided, and followed abnormal procedures. Took a long final and performed the split flap landing. Maintenance surmised that, in the absence of a mechanical problem, severe rain showers previous night had removed lubrication from jackscrews. Re-lubricated and they worked ok on ground and subsequent flts. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: after landing the 2 flap sections re- synchronized and the mechanic said that he expected the sections to do this. The problem that caused the split trailing edge flap was lack of lubrication on the jackscrews that position the flaps. There had been heavy rains the night before and, according to the mechanic, the past procedure was to re-lubricate these areas after such rains. But now the mechanics only do scheduled maintenance unless someone has a problem. The aircraft worked fine after it was lubed and the flight crew flew it the rest of the day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB -- ACR HAS A SPLIT FLAP CONDITION DEVELOP DURING RETRACTION.

Narrative: ON TKOF, UPON FLAP RETRACTION FROM FLAPS 2 DEGS TO UP, OUTBOARD FLAPS SPLIT. LEVELED AT 3000 FT MSL, REQUESTED VECTORS TO STAY IN AREA. INVESTIGATED, DISCUSSED, DECIDED, AND FOLLOWED ABNORMAL PROCS. TOOK A LONG FINAL AND PERFORMED THE SPLIT FLAP LNDG. MAINT SURMISED THAT, IN THE ABSENCE OF A MECHANICAL PROB, SEVERE RAIN SHOWERS PREVIOUS NIGHT HAD REMOVED LUBRICATION FROM JACKSCREWS. RE-LUBRICATED AND THEY WORKED OK ON GND AND SUBSEQUENT FLTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: AFTER LNDG THE 2 FLAP SECTIONS RE- SYNCHRONIZED AND THE MECH SAID THAT HE EXPECTED THE SECTIONS TO DO THIS. THE PROB THAT CAUSED THE SPLIT TRAILING EDGE FLAP WAS LACK OF LUBRICATION ON THE JACKSCREWS THAT POS THE FLAPS. THERE HAD BEEN HVY RAINS THE NIGHT BEFORE AND, ACCORDING TO THE MECH, THE PAST PROC WAS TO RE-LUBRICATE THESE AREAS AFTER SUCH RAINS. BUT NOW THE MECHS ONLY DO SCHEDULED MAINT UNLESS SOMEONE HAS A PROB. THE ACFT WORKED FINE AFTER IT WAS LUBED AND THE FLC FLEW IT THE REST OF THE DAY.

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.