A B757-200 on initial climb at 2000 ft trailing edge flaps would not fully retract. On return to the...

Attributes
ACN	462084
Time
Date	200001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	KY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure : other published ifr departure
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 2555
ASRS Report	462084
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After departure from cvg, a leading edge slat disagree light was received on EICAS upon flap retraction. Flap indicator showed flaps had not fully retracted, stopping between the up position and 1 degree. Aircraft was leveled off at 9000 ft and airspeed kept at 230 KIAS. Vectors were requested to remain in local area while pom (pilot's operating manual) abnormal procedures were performed. Procedures failed to correct malfunction. Dispatcher and maintenance coordinator were notified via radio to discuss problem and possible resolution. After thorough discussion with maintenance, decision was made to return to cvg for landing. In preparing for approach to runway 36R, it was discovered that the flaps would not extend to the 20 degree position using the alternate flap switch as per pom. Three subsequent attempts were made to lower flaps with no success. With the prospect of now making essentially a no flap landing, captain declared an emergency and requested emergency vehicles standing by upon landing. Flight crew discussed no flap considerations, including landing weight (185000 pounds), speed (177 KTS), use of maximum braking, brake cooling, and flare technique. Just prior to commencing approach, one last attempt was made to lower flaps using alternate switch. This time the flaps did lower to the 20 degree position. ATC was informed of this fact, and an approach and landing was conducted to an uneventful conclusion. Because they were already dispatched, the emergency vehicles were requested to follow aircraft to gate looking out for possibility of hot brakes. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the aircraft was a B757-200 and the cause of the trailing edge flap malfunction is unknown. The reporter said a plane change was made and when leaving the aircraft maintenance technicians were just entering the electrical and electronics compartment. The reporter said maintenance has not passed any information on to any crew member.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 ON INITIAL CLB AT 2000 FT TRAILING EDGE FLAPS WOULD NOT FULLY RETRACT. ON RETURN TO THE FIELD FLAPS WOULD NOT EXTEND IN ALTERNATE MODE ON 4TH ATTEMPT FLAPS EXTENDED. CAUSE UNKNOWN.

Narrative: AFTER DEP FROM CVG, A LEADING EDGE SLAT DISAGREE LIGHT WAS RECEIVED ON EICAS UPON FLAP RETRACTION. FLAP INDICATOR SHOWED FLAPS HAD NOT FULLY RETRACTED, STOPPING BTWN THE UP POS AND 1 DEG. ACFT WAS LEVELED OFF AT 9000 FT AND AIRSPD KEPT AT 230 KIAS. VECTORS WERE REQUESTED TO REMAIN IN LCL AREA WHILE POM (PLT'S OPERATING MANUAL) ABNORMAL PROCS WERE PERFORMED. PROCS FAILED TO CORRECT MALFUNCTION. DISPATCHER AND MAINT COORDINATOR WERE NOTIFIED VIA RADIO TO DISCUSS PROB AND POSSIBLE RESOLUTION. AFTER THOROUGH DISCUSSION WITH MAINT, DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO CVG FOR LNDG. IN PREPARING FOR APCH TO RWY 36R, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FLAPS WOULD NOT EXTEND TO THE 20 DEG POS USING THE ALTERNATE FLAP SWITCH AS PER POM. THREE SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO LOWER FLAPS WITH NO SUCCESS. WITH THE PROSPECT OF NOW MAKING ESSENTIALLY A NO FLAP LNDG, CAPT DECLARED AN EMER AND REQUESTED EMER VEHICLES STANDING BY UPON LNDG. FLC DISCUSSED NO FLAP CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING LNDG WT (185000 LBS), SPD (177 KTS), USE OF MAX BRAKING, BRAKE COOLING, AND FLARE TECHNIQUE. JUST PRIOR TO COMMENCING APCH, ONE LAST ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LOWER FLAPS USING ALTERNATE SWITCH. THIS TIME THE FLAPS DID LOWER TO THE 20 DEG POS. ATC WAS INFORMED OF THIS FACT, AND AN APCH AND LNDG WAS CONDUCTED TO AN UNEVENTFUL CONCLUSION. BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY DISPATCHED, THE EMER VEHICLES WERE REQUESTED TO FOLLOW ACFT TO GATE LOOKING OUT FOR POSSIBILITY OF HOT BRAKES. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS A B757-200 AND THE CAUSE OF THE TRAILING EDGE FLAP MALFUNCTION IS UNKNOWN. THE RPTR SAID A PLANE CHANGE WAS MADE AND WHEN LEAVING THE ACFT MAINT TECHNICIANS WERE JUST ENTERING THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT. THE RPTR SAID MAINT HAS NOT PASSED ANY INFO ON TO ANY CREW MEMBER.

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.

A B757-200 on initial climb at 2000 ft trailing edge flaps would not fully retract. On return to the field flaps would not extend in alternate mode on 4TH attempt flaps extended. Cause unknown.