A CL65 flight crew experience a flap fault due to the flaps being stuck at 3 degrees down.

Attributes
ACN	611691
Time
Date	200403
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm.airport
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Weather Elements	Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc tracon : dsm.tracon artcc : ztl.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	observation : company check pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	611691
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft Airport Company
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Performing line check on crew from dsm to cvg. Departed dsm and a flaps fail caution message occurred upon flaps retraction, failed at 3 degrees. Dsm was about to be closed for snow removal. Crew performed climb check and QRH for flaps fail. QRH did not require a diversion to nearest suitable airport with flap failure of less than 5 degrees. Turned on course to cvg due to dsm closing. Stopped climb at 10000 ft to reassess the situation. Tried company radio to report problem but no answer. Tried climbing aircraft higher to 15000 ft to reach company. Again, no answer. Knew where WX was good so kept going because dsm was not going to be an option due to snow removal and snow. Reported malfunction to ATC. Tried talking to dispatch and maintenance through cid station radio. This was very cumbersome and not clear. Passenger were informed of slower cruising speed and lower altitude. Finally got through to dispatch around cap VOR. Dispatch wanted us to divert to mci but we were already past that airport. Tried working with dispatch for fuel numbers to ind or cvg. They said they have no data for our situation. They finally asked our fuel flow and location. Both sides came up with numbers and cvg was reachable. Got in-range to cvg and called for crash fire rescue equipment to stand by. Landed safely at cvg with about 2900 pounds of fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 FLT CREW EXPERIENCE A FLAP FAULT DUE TO THE FLAPS BEING STUCK AT 3 DEGS DOWN.

Narrative: PERFORMING LINE CHK ON CREW FROM DSM TO CVG. DEPARTED DSM AND A FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE OCCURRED UPON FLAPS RETRACTION, FAILED AT 3 DEGS. DSM WAS ABOUT TO BE CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL. CREW PERFORMED CLB CHK AND QRH FOR FLAPS FAIL. QRH DID NOT REQUIRE A DIVERSION TO NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WITH FLAP FAILURE OF LESS THAN 5 DEGS. TURNED ON COURSE TO CVG DUE TO DSM CLOSING. STOPPED CLB AT 10000 FT TO REASSESS THE SIT. TRIED COMPANY RADIO TO RPT PROB BUT NO ANSWER. TRIED CLBING ACFT HIGHER TO 15000 FT TO REACH COMPANY. AGAIN, NO ANSWER. KNEW WHERE WX WAS GOOD SO KEPT GOING BECAUSE DSM WAS NOT GOING TO BE AN OPTION DUE TO SNOW REMOVAL AND SNOW. RPTED MALFUNCTION TO ATC. TRIED TALKING TO DISPATCH AND MAINT THROUGH CID STATION RADIO. THIS WAS VERY CUMBERSOME AND NOT CLR. PAX WERE INFORMED OF SLOWER CRUISING SPD AND LOWER ALT. FINALLY GOT THROUGH TO DISPATCH AROUND CAP VOR. DISPATCH WANTED US TO DIVERT TO MCI BUT WE WERE ALREADY PAST THAT ARPT. TRIED WORKING WITH DISPATCH FOR FUEL NUMBERS TO IND OR CVG. THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO DATA FOR OUR SIT. THEY FINALLY ASKED OUR FUEL FLOW AND LOCATION. BOTH SIDES CAME UP WITH NUMBERS AND CVG WAS REACHABLE. GOT IN-RANGE TO CVG AND CALLED FOR CFR TO STAND BY. LANDED SAFELY AT CVG WITH ABOUT 2900 LBS OF FUEL.

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.