Narrative:

Preflight and passenger loading went without incident; but on the before takeoff checklist; hydraulic system #3 quantity was indicating at 40%. I contacted maintenance and they asked us to run the airplane for a few mins; hoping that the increase in temperature would help the fluid expand; thus raising the level. After about 10 mins; temperatures stabilized; but the quantity in the reservoir remained low. I briefed the passenger about the nature of the problem and we returned to the gate. I again called maintenance; talking to them about the problem. I expressed my concern about the low fluid level. As the plane had flown earlier that day; I have to assume that the level in system #3 was in the green prior to that flight. During the postflt walkaround; there was residual fluid all over the aircraft; but we as a crew were unsure if it was hydraulic fluid or glycol. I felt that there was probably a leak somewhere in the system; as the fluid doesn't simply disappear. Unfortunately; the airport doesn't have the maintenance items to fix this problem; so the flts were canceled. We were told that the needed items were being driven to the airport. At about XA30 someone showed up with the unit that services the hydraulics; and system #3 was svced until the quantity was in the normal range. The write up regarding low level was signed off as being svced by the on field local mechanic. We were then to operate a flight with the same aircraft. On vectors to approach; the first officer asked for flaps 8 degrees and when selected; we immediately received a flaps fail caution message. An emergency was declared; and the QRH completed. I elected to perform the flaps zero landing; as winds were 300 degrees at 25 KTS gusting 35 KTS with low level windshear in the area. Passenger again were briefed and the landing was without incident. Once at the gate; maintenance was again called. We noticed that; upon terminating the aircraft; hydraulic system #3 had dropped from 60% to 50% at the gate. During the course of the postflt walk; the first officer discovered what he suspected was hydraulic fluid behind the left main wheel well. 2 write-ups were entered in the aircraft logbook; one for the flaps fail; and one for a suspect hydraulic leak.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ-200 FLT CREW HAS A FLAP/HYD SYSTEM MALFUNCTION DURING APCH; DECLARES EMER AND LANDS.

Narrative: PREFLT AND PAX LOADING WENT WITHOUT INCIDENT; BUT ON THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST; HYD SYS #3 QUANTITY WAS INDICATING AT 40%. I CONTACTED MAINT AND THEY ASKED US TO RUN THE AIRPLANE FOR A FEW MINS; HOPING THAT THE INCREASE IN TEMP WOULD HELP THE FLUID EXPAND; THUS RAISING THE LEVEL. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINS; TEMPS STABILIZED; BUT THE QUANTITY IN THE RESERVOIR REMAINED LOW. I BRIEFED THE PAX ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE PROB AND WE RETURNED TO THE GATE. I AGAIN CALLED MAINT; TALKING TO THEM ABOUT THE PROB. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE LOW FLUID LEVEL. AS THE PLANE HAD FLOWN EARLIER THAT DAY; I HAVE TO ASSUME THAT THE LEVEL IN SYS #3 WAS IN THE GREEN PRIOR TO THAT FLT. DURING THE POSTFLT WALKAROUND; THERE WAS RESIDUAL FLUID ALL OVER THE ACFT; BUT WE AS A CREW WERE UNSURE IF IT WAS HYD FLUID OR GLYCOL. I FELT THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY A LEAK SOMEWHERE IN THE SYS; AS THE FLUID DOESN'T SIMPLY DISAPPEAR. UNFORTUNATELY; THE ARPT DOESN'T HAVE THE MAINT ITEMS TO FIX THIS PROB; SO THE FLTS WERE CANCELED. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE NEEDED ITEMS WERE BEING DRIVEN TO THE ARPT. AT ABOUT XA30 SOMEONE SHOWED UP WITH THE UNIT THAT SVCS THE HYDS; AND SYS #3 WAS SVCED UNTIL THE QUANTITY WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. THE WRITE UP REGARDING LOW LEVEL WAS SIGNED OFF AS BEING SVCED BY THE ON FIELD LCL MECH. WE WERE THEN TO OPERATE A FLT WITH THE SAME ACFT. ON VECTORS TO APCH; THE FO ASKED FOR FLAPS 8 DEGS AND WHEN SELECTED; WE IMMEDIATELY RECEIVED A FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE. AN EMER WAS DECLARED; AND THE QRH COMPLETED. I ELECTED TO PERFORM THE FLAPS ZERO LNDG; AS WINDS WERE 300 DEGS AT 25 KTS GUSTING 35 KTS WITH LOW LEVEL WINDSHEAR IN THE AREA. PAX AGAIN WERE BRIEFED AND THE LNDG WAS WITHOUT INCIDENT. ONCE AT THE GATE; MAINT WAS AGAIN CALLED. WE NOTICED THAT; UPON TERMINATING THE ACFT; HYD SYS #3 HAD DROPPED FROM 60% TO 50% AT THE GATE. DURING THE COURSE OF THE POSTFLT WALK; THE FO DISCOVERED WHAT HE SUSPECTED WAS HYD FLUID BEHIND THE L MAIN WHEEL WELL. 2 WRITE-UPS WERE ENTERED IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK; ONE FOR THE FLAPS FAIL; AND ONE FOR A SUSPECT HYD LEAK.

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.