Narrative:

While configuring for landing on approach into ZZZ; we had an asymmetrical trailing edge flap problem with a roll tendency. We executed a go around. We contacted departure and explained that we had a flap problem and to please keep radio calls to a minimum. We also requested that they keep us clear of terrain because it was at night. Approach control sent us to abc to hold at 6000 ft on a non published holding pattern. The autoplt would not engage; and we had several radio frequency changes. The MCP altitude selector would change from selected altitude to FL500. I reselected the altitude and a few mins later it changed back to FL500; adding to the workload. The airspeed cursor was also inoperable. While reading QRH for an asymmetrical flap; 1 needle indicated 1 degree and the other indicated 2 degrees. We selected flap 1 degree from 5 degrees and no change with flap indicator. During this time; we contacted operations to inform them that we had a flap problem. We also informed the flight attendants and made a PA to passenger. We returned to checklist and after arming alternate flap switch; we discovered both flap indicator needles at 1 degree. We stopped and referred to page XXX thinking something was wrong with leading edge devices. We had an MEL amber leading edge light plus overhead panel indicating #3 slat in transit. This was confusing because I had forgotten about MEL for a moment. We then noticed that the flap indicator had changed to 1 degree and 10 degrees respectively. We then returned to QRH and completed checklist. We contacted approach and declared an emergency. During approach; another carrier was landing. Tower asked them to make an early turnoff. They replied that they would 'try.' tower then approved us for s-turns; we replied unable. About 200 ft we got a stick shaker while on speed. We made a normal touch landing with full leading edge devices and trailing edges at 1 degree. Target speed was 156 KTS. Landing was uneventful. During deplanement; most passenger were saying thank you for a safe landing; but one said it was his second maintenance problem today on company and he would not ride on us again. This was disturbing to me. I did not get his name. While on ground in ZZZ; we contacted dispatch to explain the situation. There were 2 dispatchers on the telephone. One said he was the supervisor. The supervisor seemed unhappy and wanted to know what was going on; why after 1 hour 30 mins to ZZZ and not on the ground. I perceived his communication as being adversarial. I tried to explain that our workload was extreme; with mountainous terrain; at night; no autoplt; and a very confusing failure; that I had a brief moment to notify ZZZ operations; flight attendants; and passenger. Safety of flight was my priority.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 EXPERIENCED A FLAP ASYMMETRY AND OTHER SYS ANOMALIES BEFORE LNDG. AN EMER WAS DECLARED.

Narrative: WHILE CONFIGURING FOR LNDG ON APCH INTO ZZZ; WE HAD AN ASYMMETRICAL TRAILING EDGE FLAP PROB WITH A ROLL TENDENCY. WE EXECUTED A GAR. WE CONTACTED DEP AND EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD A FLAP PROB AND TO PLEASE KEEP RADIO CALLS TO A MINIMUM. WE ALSO REQUESTED THAT THEY KEEP US CLR OF TERRAIN BECAUSE IT WAS AT NIGHT. APCH CTL SENT US TO ABC TO HOLD AT 6000 FT ON A NON PUBLISHED HOLDING PATTERN. THE AUTOPLT WOULD NOT ENGAGE; AND WE HAD SEVERAL RADIO FREQ CHANGES. THE MCP ALT SELECTOR WOULD CHANGE FROM SELECTED ALT TO FL500. I RESELECTED THE ALT AND A FEW MINS LATER IT CHANGED BACK TO FL500; ADDING TO THE WORKLOAD. THE AIRSPD CURSOR WAS ALSO INOPERABLE. WHILE READING QRH FOR AN ASYMMETRICAL FLAP; 1 NEEDLE INDICATED 1 DEG AND THE OTHER INDICATED 2 DEGS. WE SELECTED FLAP 1 DEG FROM 5 DEGS AND NO CHANGE WITH FLAP INDICATOR. DURING THIS TIME; WE CONTACTED OPS TO INFORM THEM THAT WE HAD A FLAP PROB. WE ALSO INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND MADE A PA TO PAX. WE RETURNED TO CHKLIST AND AFTER ARMING ALTERNATE FLAP SWITCH; WE DISCOVERED BOTH FLAP INDICATOR NEEDLES AT 1 DEG. WE STOPPED AND REFERRED TO PAGE XXX THINKING SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH LEADING EDGE DEVICES. WE HAD AN MEL AMBER LEADING EDGE LIGHT PLUS OVERHEAD PANEL INDICATING #3 SLAT IN TRANSIT. THIS WAS CONFUSING BECAUSE I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT MEL FOR A MOMENT. WE THEN NOTICED THAT THE FLAP INDICATOR HAD CHANGED TO 1 DEG AND 10 DEGS RESPECTIVELY. WE THEN RETURNED TO QRH AND COMPLETED CHKLIST. WE CONTACTED APCH AND DECLARED AN EMER. DURING APCH; ANOTHER CARRIER WAS LNDG. TWR ASKED THEM TO MAKE AN EARLY TURNOFF. THEY REPLIED THAT THEY WOULD 'TRY.' TWR THEN APPROVED US FOR S-TURNS; WE REPLIED UNABLE. ABOUT 200 FT WE GOT A STICK SHAKER WHILE ON SPD. WE MADE A NORMAL TOUCH LNDG WITH FULL LEADING EDGE DEVICES AND TRAILING EDGES AT 1 DEG. TARGET SPD WAS 156 KTS. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. DURING DEPLANEMENT; MOST PAX WERE SAYING THANK YOU FOR A SAFE LNDG; BUT ONE SAID IT WAS HIS SECOND MAINT PROB TODAY ON COMPANY AND HE WOULD NOT RIDE ON US AGAIN. THIS WAS DISTURBING TO ME. I DID NOT GET HIS NAME. WHILE ON GND IN ZZZ; WE CONTACTED DISPATCH TO EXPLAIN THE SIT. THERE WERE 2 DISPATCHERS ON THE TELEPHONE. ONE SAID HE WAS THE SUPERVISOR. THE SUPERVISOR SEEMED UNHAPPY AND WANTED TO KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON; WHY AFTER 1 HR 30 MINS TO ZZZ AND NOT ON THE GND. I PERCEIVED HIS COM AS BEING ADVERSARIAL. I TRIED TO EXPLAIN THAT OUR WORKLOAD WAS EXTREME; WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN; AT NIGHT; NO AUTOPLT; AND A VERY CONFUSING FAILURE; THAT I HAD A BRIEF MOMENT TO NOTIFY ZZZ OPS; FLT ATTENDANTS; AND PAX. SAFETY OF FLT WAS MY PRIORITY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.