Air carrier B737 has flap problem is on a vector at 3000 ft to give flight crew time to troubleshoot...

Attributes
ACN	366910
Time
Date	199704
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : oak
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 14000
ASRS Report	366910
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Our flight was only 11 mi from the oak airport, WX was reported to be 800 ft overcast and 4 mi light rain. Flaps were selected to position #5 and were noted to jam at position #1. Position #40 was needed due to possible wet runways. ATC was advised that we had a problem and needed extra time to troubleshoot. Controller vectored us to the southeast and advised we would soon need more altitude due to hills. There now seemed to be a lot more aircraft on the approach frequency and it was difficult for anyone to get a word in edgewise. WX now seemed to be getting worse and first officer confirmed we had a split flap and the system was locked in the #1 position. All of a sudden we received the automatic terrain avoidance alarm and executed a maximum rate of climb to 4500 ft. ATC was advised of the climb and our flight was issued a vector to intercept ILS runway 29. WX had now dropped to 400 ft overcast minus rain. Emergency procedures now recalculated our landing speed to 165 KTS. We requested emergency equipment to stand by. WX was in fact solid down to 400 ft where we broke out and landed without any further problem. There seemed to be too much confusion/chatter on VHF and a breakdown in communication with ATC as to just how serious our flap problem was. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated the aircraft did not roll as a result of the split flap problem which at first was thought to be with the flap indicator. The aircraft was operating with an MEL for the slat indicator. Reporter said that after the GPWS report to the controller, the controller mentioned that if they continued on the same heading, a higher altitude would be needed. After determining they had a split flap problem, they were vectored for the ILS approach. Reporter is unsure of whose frequency the call for the emergency equipment was made, approach or tower. Flight crew did not learn what caused the split flap condition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR B737 HAS FLAP PROB IS ON A VECTOR AT 3000 FT TO GIVE FLC TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT. ACFT GETS GPWS AND CLBS TO 4500 FT WHILE INFORMING THE CTLR. FLC DETERMINE THEY HAVE SPLIT FLAP PROB AND WHILE ON APCH REQUEST THE EMER EQUIP TO STAND BY.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS ONLY 11 MI FROM THE OAK ARPT, WX WAS RPTED TO BE 800 FT OVCST AND 4 MI LIGHT RAIN. FLAPS WERE SELECTED TO POS #5 AND WERE NOTED TO JAM AT POS #1. POS #40 WAS NEEDED DUE TO POSSIBLE WET RWYS. ATC WAS ADVISED THAT WE HAD A PROB AND NEEDED EXTRA TIME TO TROUBLESHOOT. CTLR VECTORED US TO THE SE AND ADVISED WE WOULD SOON NEED MORE ALT DUE TO HILLS. THERE NOW SEEMED TO BE A LOT MORE ACFT ON THE APCH FREQ AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE TO GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE. WX NOW SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE AND FO CONFIRMED WE HAD A SPLIT FLAP AND THE SYS WAS LOCKED IN THE #1 POS. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE RECEIVED THE AUTOMATIC TERRAIN AVOIDANCE ALARM AND EXECUTED A MAX RATE OF CLB TO 4500 FT. ATC WAS ADVISED OF THE CLB AND OUR FLT WAS ISSUED A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT ILS RWY 29. WX HAD NOW DROPPED TO 400 FT OVCST MINUS RAIN. EMER PROCS NOW RECALCULATED OUR LNDG SPD TO 165 KTS. WE REQUESTED EMER EQUIP TO STAND BY. WX WAS IN FACT SOLID DOWN TO 400 FT WHERE WE BROKE OUT AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROB. THERE SEEMED TO BE TOO MUCH CONFUSION/CHATTER ON VHF AND A BREAKDOWN IN COM WITH ATC AS TO JUST HOW SERIOUS OUR FLAP PROB WAS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THE ACFT DID NOT ROLL AS A RESULT OF THE SPLIT FLAP PROB WHICH AT FIRST WAS THOUGHT TO BE WITH THE FLAP INDICATOR. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING WITH AN MEL FOR THE SLAT INDICATOR. RPTR SAID THAT AFTER THE GPWS RPT TO THE CTLR, THE CTLR MENTIONED THAT IF THEY CONTINUED ON THE SAME HEADING, A HIGHER ALT WOULD BE NEEDED. AFTER DETERMINING THEY HAD A SPLIT FLAP PROB, THEY WERE VECTORED FOR THE ILS APCH. RPTR IS UNSURE OF WHOSE FREQ THE CALL FOR THE EMER EQUIP WAS MADE, APCH OR TWR. FLC DID NOT LEARN WHAT CAUSED THE SPLIT FLAP CONDITION.

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.

Air carrier B737 has flap problem is on a vector at 3000 ft to give flight crew time to troubleshoot. Aircraft gets GPWS and climbs to 4500 ft while informing the controller. Flight crew determine they have split flap problem and while on approach request the emergency equipment to stand by.