A DC9 crew experienced aircraft deceleration at leveloff, left trailing edge flap extended 3 inches.

Attributes
ACN	505126
Time
Date	200103
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : flm.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 36400 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 50
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	505126
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 2300
ASRS Report	505127
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At leveloff at FL350, aircraft would not accelerate and started to decelerate. Pilot in rear of aircraft indicated that left flap was extended 3 inches. Aircraft continued to decelerate. Requested immediate descent to FL310 which they could not approve immediately. Due to aircraft performance we had to initiate a shallow descent, approximately 400 ft below FL350 until clearance was received for lower. Did not feel it prudent to maintain FL350 with airspeed decreasing. Supplemental information from acn 505127: pilot in aft cabin reported left flap extended 3 inches when right retracted. Could not maintain FL350 without airspeed decreasing. Callback conversation with reporter acn 505126 revealed the following information: reporter stated the aircraft, although requiring extra power and trim, did perform adequately at FL310. While troubleshooting, the hydraulic system was repressurized in hopes the flaps would fair to their normal position. However, they remained in the extended position (3 inches) until approximately 16000 ft on descent, at which time they retracted (faired) to the up position. Flap operation was reported as normal during descent and approach. Reporter has had no feedback from maintenance as to their findings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 CREW EXPERIENCED ACFT DECELERATION AT LEVELOFF, L TRAILING EDGE FLAP EXTENDED 3 INCHES.

Narrative: AT LEVELOFF AT FL350, ACFT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND STARTED TO DECELERATE. PLT IN REAR OF ACFT INDICATED THAT L FLAP WAS EXTENDED 3 INCHES. ACFT CONTINUED TO DECELERATE. REQUESTED IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO FL310 WHICH THEY COULD NOT APPROVE IMMEDIATELY. DUE TO ACFT PERFORMANCE WE HAD TO INITIATE A SHALLOW DSCNT, APPROX 400 FT BELOW FL350 UNTIL CLRNC WAS RECEIVED FOR LOWER. DID NOT FEEL IT PRUDENT TO MAINTAIN FL350 WITH AIRSPD DECREASING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 505127: PLT IN AFT CABIN RPTED L FLAP EXTENDED 3 INCHES WHEN R RETRACTED. COULD NOT MAINTAIN FL350 WITHOUT AIRSPD DECREASING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR ACN 505126 REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE ACFT, ALTHOUGH REQUIRING EXTRA PWR AND TRIM, DID PERFORM ADEQUATELY AT FL310. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING, THE HYD SYS WAS REPRESSURIZED IN HOPES THE FLAPS WOULD FAIR TO THEIR NORMAL POS. HOWEVER, THEY REMAINED IN THE EXTENDED POS (3 INCHES) UNTIL APPROX 16000 FT ON DSCNT, AT WHICH TIME THEY RETRACTED (FAIRED) TO THE UP POS. FLAP OP WAS RPTED AS NORMAL DURING DSCNT AND APCH. RPTR HAS HAD NO FEEDBACK FROM MAINT AS TO THEIR FINDINGS.

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.