Narrative:

Selected flaps 5 degrees; noted a split indication in the trailing edge flap indicator. Left trailing edge flap indicated 5 degrees; right trailing edge flap indicated 2 degrees. Stopped the descent; overflew the airport at 3000 ft; commenced asymmetrical trailing edge flaps QRH checklist. Contacted dispatch; advised dispatcher of problem; then advised maintenance of the problem. As we were communicating with dispatch/maintenance; we requested a northbound vector. Advised dispatch that we felt the best course of action would be to divert to ZZZ1 with longer runways as the approach speed would be 165 KTS. Still hadn't heard anything back from maintenance. First officer requested clearance to ZZZ1 and declared an emergency. Advised dispatch that we were diverting to ZZZ1. Dispatcher agreed with decision via ACARS message as we were at that time discussing the problem with the maintenance controller. Maintenance control agreed with the decision to divert to ZZZ1; confirmed no further communications were necessary with maintenance and dispatch. Contacted ZZZ1 operations to advise of the diversion; communicated with flight attendants that we were diverting to ZZZ1 under precautionary landing status; completed QRH; then landed at ZZZ1 without incident. Maintenance personnel met the aircraft; people were taken off the airplane. Maintenance personnel discussed the problem with us; entry made in the logbook regarding the split flap. Maintenance control decided to have maintenance ferry the aircraft back to ZZZ2 to fix the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 ENCOUNTERS ASSYMETRICAL FLAP DEPLOYMENT; DECLARE EMERGENCY AND DIVERTS TO ANOTHER ARPT WITH LONGER RWYS.

Narrative: SELECTED FLAPS 5 DEGS; NOTED A SPLIT INDICATION IN THE TRAILING EDGE FLAP INDICATOR. L TRAILING EDGE FLAP INDICATED 5 DEGS; R TRAILING EDGE FLAP INDICATED 2 DEGS. STOPPED THE DSCNT; OVERFLEW THE ARPT AT 3000 FT; COMMENCED ASYMMETRICAL TRAILING EDGE FLAPS QRH CHKLIST. CONTACTED DISPATCH; ADVISED DISPATCHER OF PROB; THEN ADVISED MAINT OF THE PROB. AS WE WERE COMMUNICATING WITH DISPATCH/MAINT; WE REQUESTED A NBOUND VECTOR. ADVISED DISPATCH THAT WE FELT THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO DIVERT TO ZZZ1 WITH LONGER RWYS AS THE APCH SPD WOULD BE 165 KTS. STILL HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING BACK FROM MAINT. FO REQUESTED CLRNC TO ZZZ1 AND DECLARED AN EMER. ADVISED DISPATCH THAT WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ1. DISPATCHER AGREED WITH DECISION VIA ACARS MESSAGE AS WE WERE AT THAT TIME DISCUSSING THE PROB WITH THE MAINT CTLR. MAINT CTL AGREED WITH THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO ZZZ1; CONFIRMED NO FURTHER COMS WERE NECESSARY WITH MAINT AND DISPATCH. CONTACTED ZZZ1 OPS TO ADVISE OF THE DIVERSION; COMMUNICATED WITH FLT ATTENDANTS THAT WE WERE DIVERTING TO ZZZ1 UNDER PRECAUTIONARY LNDG STATUS; COMPLETED QRH; THEN LANDED AT ZZZ1 WITHOUT INCIDENT. MAINT PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT; PEOPLE WERE TAKEN OFF THE AIRPLANE. MAINT PERSONNEL DISCUSSED THE PROB WITH US; ENTRY MADE IN THE LOGBOOK REGARDING THE SPLIT FLAP. MAINT CTL DECIDED TO HAVE MAINT FERRY THE ACFT BACK TO ZZZ2 TO FIX THE AIRPLANE.

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.