B737 crew has trailing edge flap asymmetry as a result of a flap position indicator failure.

Attributes
ACN	721603
Time
Date	200612
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sjc.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 30d
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 238 flight time type : 9000
ASRS Report	721603
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : executed go around
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On approach the flaps were selected to position 5. They did not extend. When we noticed the flaps were still up; we initiated a go around. We informed ATC of the flap problem and were vectored to the southeast. The right trailing edge flap/position/skew/snsr/ind circuit breaker popped. The first officer tried to reset the circuit breaker which popped immediately again. We then ran the QRH checklist for no trailing edge flaps. When we extended the flaps using the alternate flaps control the aircraft rolled to the right so we left the trailing edge flaps up and landed without incident. After landing we checked the numbers for the brakes and taxied to the gate and deplaned. The first officer and the flight attendants did a great job. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter states that the only postflt anomaly was the inoperative flap position indicator and the flaps appeared to work normally. He believes that he was over-cautious when the flaps were extended electrically. Not wanting to compound their problems and the fact that they were very light; they decided to land with leading edge flaps only.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW HAS TRAILING EDGE FLAP ASYMMETRY AS A RESULT OF A FLAP POS INDICATOR FAILURE.

Narrative: ON APCH THE FLAPS WERE SELECTED TO POS 5. THEY DID NOT EXTEND. WHEN WE NOTICED THE FLAPS WERE STILL UP; WE INITIATED A GAR. WE INFORMED ATC OF THE FLAP PROB AND WERE VECTORED TO THE SE. THE R TRAILING EDGE FLAP/POS/SKEW/SNSR/IND CIRCUIT BREAKER POPPED. THE FO TRIED TO RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WHICH POPPED IMMEDIATELY AGAIN. WE THEN RAN THE QRH CHKLIST FOR NO TRAILING EDGE FLAPS. WHEN WE EXTENDED THE FLAPS USING THE ALTERNATE FLAPS CTL THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE R SO WE LEFT THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS UP AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AFTER LNDG WE CHKED THE NUMBERS FOR THE BRAKES AND TAXIED TO THE GATE AND DEPLANED. THE FO AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS DID A GREAT JOB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATES THAT THE ONLY POSTFLT ANOMALY WAS THE INOP FLAP POS INDICATOR AND THE FLAPS APPEARED TO WORK NORMALLY. HE BELIEVES THAT HE WAS OVER-CAUTIOUS WHEN THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED ELECTRICALLY. NOT WANTING TO COMPOUND THEIR PROBS AND THE FACT THAT THEY WERE VERY LIGHT; THEY DECIDED TO LAND WITH LEADING EDGE FLAPS ONLY.

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.