A B737-800 at 4000 ft declared an emergency due to loss of trailing edge flap control. Cause unknown...

Attributes
ACN	542927
Time
Date	200203
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-800
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : 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 : 100 flight time total : 10500 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	542927
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : flap position indicator other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : provided flight assist flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Chart Or Publication Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Flap handle set to 5 degrees, flaps (trailing edge) split and locked between 1-2 degrees. QRH procedures accomplished delayed landing until rain showers had passed. Declared an emergency to request longest runway. 170 KT approach speed. No problems landing or stopping. Good human factors and CRM. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the flap failure is unknown as maintenance made no report of the corrective action taken. The reporter said the emergency was declared to secure the longest runway as the landing speed was 170 KTS with no flare.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 AT 4000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO LOSS OF TRAILING EDGE FLAP CTL. CAUSE UNKNOWN.

Narrative: FLAP HANDLE SET TO 5 DEGS, FLAPS (TRAILING EDGE) SPLIT AND LOCKED BTWN 1-2 DEGS. QRH PROCS ACCOMPLISHED DELAYED LNDG UNTIL RAIN SHOWERS HAD PASSED. DECLARED AN EMER TO REQUEST LONGEST RWY. 170 KT APCH SPD. NO PROBS LNDG OR STOPPING. GOOD HUMAN FACTORS AND CRM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE FLAP FAILURE IS UNKNOWN AS MAINT MADE NO RPT OF THE CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN. THE RPTR SAID THE EMER WAS DECLARED TO SECURE THE LONGEST RWY AS THE LNDG SPD WAS 170 KTS WITH NO FLARE.

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.