Narrative:

On approach to sfo, leaving 7000 ft, cleared for a visual approach from the FMS STAR to runway 28R, we encountered a flap problem. Upon lowering the flaps from 1 degree to 5 degrees, the left needle was at 5 degrees and the right needle went to 0 degrees. We abandoned the approach to work out our problem. There were no EICAS messages, only a split between the 2 flap indicator needles. After reading through the abnormal flap procedures with my first officer, I decided it would be safer to make a 5 degree flap landing rather than risk compounding the problem. I had a deadheading company pilot who had flown the B757 visually check that all leading edge devices were down as they should be at flaps 5 degree setting. After informing the flight attendants and passenger of our problem, I declared an emergency and landed, according to our procedures, at sfo. Even though we followed all the procedures, I feel that several factors contributed to the length of time this all took and that some items were done out of order. We were at the end of a maximum duty day, having flown from lga to msp to sfo that day. We both were tired and were very busy throughout the entire process. Having been trained repeatedly in the procedural aspect did help though, as we knew right where to begin and did not have to decide what to do next. Supplemental information from acn 513261: the captain turned off the autoplt early on the approach to determine if there was any noticeable control asymmetry. Nothing abnormal was detected. Subsequent landing was normal but we requested crash fire rescue equipment to inspect our brakes. Crash fire rescue equipment cleared us, terminated the emergency, and we taxied to our gate.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLC TAKES A DELAY ON THEIR APCH TO SORT OUT THE CHKLISTS WHEN HAVING A SPLIT TRAILING EDGE FLAP INDICATION ON THE FLAP INDICATOR IN THE COCKPIT NEAR SFO, CA.

Narrative: ON APCH TO SFO, LEAVING 7000 FT, CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH FROM THE FMS STAR TO RWY 28R, WE ENCOUNTERED A FLAP PROB. UPON LOWERING THE FLAPS FROM 1 DEG TO 5 DEGS, THE L NEEDLE WAS AT 5 DEGS AND THE R NEEDLE WENT TO 0 DEGS. WE ABANDONED THE APCH TO WORK OUT OUR PROB. THERE WERE NO EICAS MESSAGES, ONLY A SPLIT BTWN THE 2 FLAP INDICATOR NEEDLES. AFTER READING THROUGH THE ABNORMAL FLAP PROCS WITH MY FO, I DECIDED IT WOULD BE SAFER TO MAKE A 5 DEG FLAP LNDG RATHER THAN RISK COMPOUNDING THE PROB. I HAD A DEADHEADING COMPANY PLT WHO HAD FLOWN THE B757 VISUALLY CHK THAT ALL LEADING EDGE DEVICES WERE DOWN AS THEY SHOULD BE AT FLAPS 5 DEG SETTING. AFTER INFORMING THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX OF OUR PROB, I DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED, ACCORDING TO OUR PROCS, AT SFO. EVEN THOUGH WE FOLLOWED ALL THE PROCS, I FEEL THAT SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE LENGTH OF TIME THIS ALL TOOK AND THAT SOME ITEMS WERE DONE OUT OF ORDER. WE WERE AT THE END OF A MAX DUTY DAY, HAVING FLOWN FROM LGA TO MSP TO SFO THAT DAY. WE BOTH WERE TIRED AND WERE VERY BUSY THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS. HAVING BEEN TRAINED REPEATEDLY IN THE PROCEDURAL ASPECT DID HELP THOUGH, AS WE KNEW RIGHT WHERE TO BEGIN AND DID NOT HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO NEXT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 513261: THE CAPT TURNED OFF THE AUTOPLT EARLY ON THE APCH TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS ANY NOTICEABLE CTL ASYMMETRY. NOTHING ABNORMAL WAS DETECTED. SUBSEQUENT LNDG WAS NORMAL BUT WE REQUESTED CFR TO INSPECT OUR BRAKES. CFR CLRED US, TERMINATED THE EMER, AND WE TAXIED TO OUR GATE.

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.