Narrative:

We were descending rapidly after being held high and had a runway change from runway 31R to runway 31L. I was the PF and was flying manually to use full boards. As we were approaching the FAF we were asked to slow by tower. I had asked for flaps 2 degrees and gear down. The speed was in the 'vls' hook. I lowered the nose to regain speed and realized that was not the issue. In the process I got low on the approach. Both the captain and I thought there might have been something wrong with the autothrust. (Ironically we were discussing autothrust malfunction earlier in the trip.) I disengaged the autothrust to ensure we had power. I was about to call for a go around when the captain then realized the flaps were up. We assume that I put the flaps up thinking I was going for the boards; but I do not recall doing this. I asked the captain if he could have gone up rather than down while he was configuring and he felt positive he had not. We reconfigured and landed without incident using manual throttles. Given the different mechanics of the flaps and the boards; I am surprised to think that such an error could have occurred. As we were recovering ATC issued a low altitude alert. Many lessons on this with respect to paying attention to muscle memory and setting and verifying; and always being mindful of confign. Additionally; it would have been wise to have aborted the approach and gone around when we were confused about what was happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOLLOWING RAPID RATE DESCENT AT REQUEST OF APCH CTL; FLT CREW OF A320 EXPERIENCES LOW SPEED AND ALT ALERT AND DISCOVER THAT FLAPS HAD INADVERTENTLY BEEN RETRACTED TO ZERO VICE POSITION TWO.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING RAPIDLY AFTER BEING HELD HIGH AND HAD A RWY CHANGE FROM RWY 31R TO RWY 31L. I WAS THE PF AND WAS FLYING MANUALLY TO USE FULL BOARDS. AS WE WERE APCHING THE FAF WE WERE ASKED TO SLOW BY TWR. I HAD ASKED FOR FLAPS 2 DEGS AND GEAR DOWN. THE SPD WAS IN THE 'VLS' HOOK. I LOWERED THE NOSE TO REGAIN SPD AND REALIZED THAT WAS NOT THE ISSUE. IN THE PROCESS I GOT LOW ON THE APCH. BOTH THE CAPT AND I THOUGHT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AUTOTHRUST. (IRONICALLY WE WERE DISCUSSING AUTOTHRUST MALFUNCTION EARLIER IN THE TRIP.) I DISENGAGED THE AUTOTHRUST TO ENSURE WE HAD PWR. I WAS ABOUT TO CALL FOR A GAR WHEN THE CAPT THEN REALIZED THE FLAPS WERE UP. WE ASSUME THAT I PUT THE FLAPS UP THINKING I WAS GOING FOR THE BOARDS; BUT I DO NOT RECALL DOING THIS. I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE COULD HAVE GONE UP RATHER THAN DOWN WHILE HE WAS CONFIGURING AND HE FELT POSITIVE HE HAD NOT. WE RECONFIGURED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT USING MANUAL THROTTLES. GIVEN THE DIFFERENT MECHANICS OF THE FLAPS AND THE BOARDS; I AM SURPRISED TO THINK THAT SUCH AN ERROR COULD HAVE OCCURRED. AS WE WERE RECOVERING ATC ISSUED A LOW ALT ALERT. MANY LESSONS ON THIS WITH RESPECT TO PAYING ATTN TO MUSCLE MEMORY AND SETTING AND VERIFYING; AND ALWAYS BEING MINDFUL OF CONFIGN. ADDITIONALLY; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WISE TO HAVE ABORTED THE APCH AND GONE AROUND WHEN WE WERE CONFUSED ABOUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING.

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.