After takeoff with slats retracted, flaps indicated asymmetric droop. When the flap handle was selected to 10 degrees, the flap indicator went to up. Flight crew returned and landed with slats extended, flaps retracted checklist.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	322314
Time
Date	199511
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	322314
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	322209
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After takeoff and slats retract noticed flap tapes drooping to 7 degrees right and 5 degrees left. Put flap handle to 10 degrees and flap indication went up. Returned to mia and landed using slats extended flaps retracted checklist. Used alternate gear extension per checklist and landed with fire trucks standing by. No asymmetry problems noted and had a normal landing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this flight was scheduled as a ferry and functional test from mia to lax. Reporter captain wasn't sure if the functional test was to test the flap system, but he did know of the history of flap problems. As a result, he says, he was 'spring loaded' to the indication problem after takeoff. In hindsight, he realized that there were no control symptoms of an asymmetry and, instead of using the slats extended, flaps retracted checklist for landing, he could have used full flaps. Had he not been focused on the potential flap problem prior to flight, he would have taken more time to troubleshoot during the flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AFTER TKOF WITH SLATS RETRACTED, FLAPS INDICATED ASYMMETRIC DROOP. WHEN THE FLAP HANDLE WAS SELECTED TO 10 DEGS, THE FLAP INDICATOR WENT TO UP. FLC RETURNED AND LANDED WITH SLATS EXTENDED, FLAPS RETRACTED CHKLIST.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF AND SLATS RETRACT NOTICED FLAP TAPES DROOPING TO 7 DEGS R AND 5 DEGS L. PUT FLAP HANDLE TO 10 DEGS AND FLAP INDICATION WENT UP. RETURNED TO MIA AND LANDED USING SLATS EXTENDED FLAPS RETRACTED CHKLIST. USED ALTERNATE GEAR EXTENSION PER CHKLIST AND LANDED WITH FIRE TRUCKS STANDING BY. NO ASYMMETRY PROBS NOTED AND HAD A NORMAL LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS FLT WAS SCHEDULED AS A FERRY AND FUNCTIONAL TEST FROM MIA TO LAX. RPTR CAPT WASN'T SURE IF THE FUNCTIONAL TEST WAS TO TEST THE FLAP SYS, BUT HE DID KNOW OF THE HISTORY OF FLAP PROBS. AS A RESULT, HE SAYS, HE WAS 'SPRING LOADED' TO THE INDICATION PROB AFTER TKOF. IN HINDSIGHT, HE REALIZED THAT THERE WERE NO CTL SYMPTOMS OF AN ASYMMETRY AND, INSTEAD OF USING THE SLATS EXTENDED, FLAPS RETRACTED CHKLIST FOR LNDG, HE COULD HAVE USED FULL FLAPS. HAD HE NOT BEEN FOCUSED ON THE POTENTIAL FLAP PROB PRIOR TO FLT, HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN MORE TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT DURING THE FLT.

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.