Narrative:

The incident involved partial delamination of the leading edge flaps on a B727-200 series aircraft. The first indication of a problem was on final approach when the autoplt began s-turning back and forth across the localizer. When the autoplt was disconnected, I encountered unusual control forces that required about 2 units of right rudder trim plus 20 degrees right aileron to stay wings level and on course. Engines and all flight control position indications were reading normally. The aircraft was not difficult to control and I maintained a stable final. Due to light winds, a relatively high (though IFR) ceiling, and a concern that changing confign might cause more problems, and because we were already set for final approach, I elected to continue to landing. Landing was smooth, and we wrote up the problem. Maintenance personnel met us at the airport and indicated nothing seemed immediately apparent. They had begun flight control chkouts when I left the aircraft, after briefing the oncoming crew. After crew rest, I had a chance to call maintenance before continuing my rotation. I was informed the plane was in the hangar with about 3/4 of the surface of a leading edge flap delaminated and separated from the supporting structure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727-200 ON APCH AT 4000 FT REQUIRED EXCESSIVE TRIM TO MAINTAIN WINGS LEVEL CAUSED BY A DELAMINATED LEADING EDGE SURFACE.

Narrative: THE INCIDENT INVOLVED PARTIAL DELAMINATION OF THE LEADING EDGE FLAPS ON A B727-200 SERIES ACFT. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROB WAS ON FINAL APCH WHEN THE AUTOPLT BEGAN S-TURNING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE LOC. WHEN THE AUTOPLT WAS DISCONNECTED, I ENCOUNTERED UNUSUAL CTL FORCES THAT REQUIRED ABOUT 2 UNITS OF R RUDDER TRIM PLUS 20 DEGS R AILERON TO STAY WINGS LEVEL AND ON COURSE. ENGINES AND ALL FLT CTL POS INDICATIONS WERE READING NORMALLY. THE ACFT WAS NOT DIFFICULT TO CTL AND I MAINTAINED A STABLE FINAL. DUE TO LIGHT WINDS, A RELATIVELY HIGH (THOUGH IFR) CEILING, AND A CONCERN THAT CHANGING CONFIGN MIGHT CAUSE MORE PROBS, AND BECAUSE WE WERE ALREADY SET FOR FINAL APCH, I ELECTED TO CONTINUE TO LNDG. LNDG WAS SMOOTH, AND WE WROTE UP THE PROB. MAINT PERSONNEL MET US AT THE ARPT AND INDICATED NOTHING SEEMED IMMEDIATELY APPARENT. THEY HAD BEGUN FLT CTL CHKOUTS WHEN I LEFT THE ACFT, AFTER BRIEFING THE ONCOMING CREW. AFTER CREW REST, I HAD A CHANCE TO CALL MAINT BEFORE CONTINUING MY ROTATION. I WAS INFORMED THE PLANE WAS IN THE HANGAR WITH ABOUT 3/4 OF THE SURFACE OF A LEADING EDGE FLAP DELAMINATED AND SEPARATED FROM THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURE.

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.