Narrative:

On our flight sea to bos, we were beginning to configure for approach and landing. I was flying the aircraft, and when we tried to extend the flaps to 1- we got no response on either the leading or trailing edges. The captain was working the flap problem, so I was flying and working the radio. We notified bos approach control and asked for clearance to the scupp intersection at 3000 ft. I loaded scupp into the FMS and proceeded direct. Once established using LNAV, I asked for holding at scupp as it was depicted on the hold page, which was east on the 082 degree radial -- r-hand turns, and I asked for 10 mi legs. Approach said 'cleared as requested' and also asked for our fuel and souls on board. Once established in the hold, AFDS engaged I joined the captain in the discussion of the problem. As we were turning back wbound in the hold, approach asked us if we were holding east or west of scupp. I told him we were holding east and he seemed to indicate that he needed something different. At that point we were ready to commence the approach. So we took the turn inbound to set up the approach to runway 33L. We then declared an emergency and made an uneventful flaps-up landing. After landing, apparently ATC had contacted dispatch with a concern or question about the holding at scupp. It's clear in my mind that I had said 'request hold at scupp, east on the 082 degree radial, r-hand turns, 10 mi legs at 3000 ft,' and the controller then replied 'cleared as requested.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF B737 AND TRACON CTLR DISAGREE ON PROPER ORIENTATION OF HOLDING PATTERN FLOWN DURING PREPARATION FOR LNDG UNDER EMER CONDITIONS.

Narrative: ON OUR FLT SEA TO BOS, WE WERE BEGINNING TO CONFIGURE FOR APCH AND LNDG. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT, AND WHEN WE TRIED TO EXTEND THE FLAPS TO 1- WE GOT NO RESPONSE ON EITHER THE LEADING OR TRAILING EDGES. THE CAPT WAS WORKING THE FLAP PROB, SO I WAS FLYING AND WORKING THE RADIO. WE NOTIFIED BOS APCH CTL AND ASKED FOR CLRNC TO THE SCUPP INTXN AT 3000 FT. I LOADED SCUPP INTO THE FMS AND PROCEEDED DIRECT. ONCE ESTABLISHED USING LNAV, I ASKED FOR HOLDING AT SCUPP AS IT WAS DEPICTED ON THE HOLD PAGE, WHICH WAS E ON THE 082 DEG RADIAL -- R-HAND TURNS, AND I ASKED FOR 10 MI LEGS. APCH SAID 'CLRED AS REQUESTED' AND ALSO ASKED FOR OUR FUEL AND SOULS ON BOARD. ONCE ESTABLISHED IN THE HOLD, AFDS ENGAGED I JOINED THE CAPT IN THE DISCUSSION OF THE PROB. AS WE WERE TURNING BACK WBOUND IN THE HOLD, APCH ASKED US IF WE WERE HOLDING E OR W OF SCUPP. I TOLD HIM WE WERE HOLDING E AND HE SEEMED TO INDICATE THAT HE NEEDED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. AT THAT POINT WE WERE READY TO COMMENCE THE APCH. SO WE TOOK THE TURN INBOUND TO SET UP THE APCH TO RWY 33L. WE THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL FLAPS-UP LNDG. AFTER LNDG, APPARENTLY ATC HAD CONTACTED DISPATCH WITH A CONCERN OR QUESTION ABOUT THE HOLDING AT SCUPP. IT'S CLR IN MY MIND THAT I HAD SAID 'REQUEST HOLD AT SCUPP, E ON THE 082 DEG RADIAL, R-HAND TURNS, 10 MI LEGS AT 3000 FT,' AND THE CTLR THEN REPLIED 'CLRED AS REQUESTED.

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.