Narrative:

I was the PF (during my upgrade fed observation ride and my company line check) and while descending through 3000 ft; I requested flaps 8 degrees and flaps 20 degrees. The flap lever moved to 30 degrees but the flaps did not move and we received an amber flaps fail message. At this point I stated that we would break off the approach and I leveled off and then started climbing to 3000 ft. I requested the gear up but left the flaps where they were. I accelerated to 190 KTS but the clacker went off through 185 KTS as the flap lever was still in the 30 degree position. I slowed to 180 KTS and the clacker went away. There was some confusion between us and tower as to what we wanted to do but they eventually figured out what was going on and allowed us to level at 3000 ft and head south. At this point I took the radios and the check airman started in on the QRH. At the time of the event we had 2500 pounds of fuel on board and the fuel flow; with the flaps at 20 degrees showed about 2200 pounds per hour total. We decided to come back around and land on runway 21 as long as there was enough runway. While the check airman was running the QRH; tower handed us off to approach. I checked in with them and then declared an emergency and informed them of our plan to return to land as soon as we finished the checklist. By then; we had confirmed that the runway was long enough and had completed the QRH. We got vectors to the downwind while I informed the flight attendant and made a cabin PA. I rebriefed the approach and asked if either the fed or the check airman had any additional input. The fed reminded me to just plant it and not float; which was something I had just briefed. They turned us a 5 mi final and a normal flaps 20 degree landing was accomplished. The fire trucks followed us off the runway but we elected to taxi to the gate as I had not used a larger than normal amount of braking. One of the flap motors (or channels) broke.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 CAPT REPORTS FLAPS FAIL MESSAGE AS FLAPS 30 ARE SELECTED. AFTER GAR AND QRH PROCEDURES ARE ACCOMPLISHED FLAPS 20 LANDING ENSUES.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF (DURING MY UPGRADE FED OBSERVATION RIDE AND MY COMPANY LINE CHK) AND WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 3000 FT; I REQUESTED FLAPS 8 DEGS AND FLAPS 20 DEGS. THE FLAP LEVER MOVED TO 30 DEGS BUT THE FLAPS DID NOT MOVE AND WE RECEIVED AN AMBER FLAPS FAIL MESSAGE. AT THIS POINT I STATED THAT WE WOULD BREAK OFF THE APCH AND I LEVELED OFF AND THEN STARTED CLBING TO 3000 FT. I REQUESTED THE GEAR UP BUT LEFT THE FLAPS WHERE THEY WERE. I ACCELERATED TO 190 KTS BUT THE CLACKER WENT OFF THROUGH 185 KTS AS THE FLAP LEVER WAS STILL IN THE 30 DEG POS. I SLOWED TO 180 KTS AND THE CLACKER WENT AWAY. THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION BTWN US AND TWR AS TO WHAT WE WANTED TO DO BUT THEY EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON AND ALLOWED US TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT AND HEAD S. AT THIS POINT I TOOK THE RADIOS AND THE CHK AIRMAN STARTED IN ON THE QRH. AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WE HAD 2500 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND THE FUEL FLOW; WITH THE FLAPS AT 20 DEGS SHOWED ABOUT 2200 LBS PER HR TOTAL. WE DECIDED TO COME BACK AROUND AND LAND ON RWY 21 AS LONG AS THERE WAS ENOUGH RWY. WHILE THE CHK AIRMAN WAS RUNNING THE QRH; TWR HANDED US OFF TO APCH. I CHKED IN WITH THEM AND THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND INFORMED THEM OF OUR PLAN TO RETURN TO LAND AS SOON AS WE FINISHED THE CHKLIST. BY THEN; WE HAD CONFIRMED THAT THE RWY WAS LONG ENOUGH AND HAD COMPLETED THE QRH. WE GOT VECTORS TO THE DOWNWIND WHILE I INFORMED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND MADE A CABIN PA. I REBRIEFED THE APCH AND ASKED IF EITHER THE FED OR THE CHK AIRMAN HAD ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT. THE FED REMINDED ME TO JUST PLANT IT AND NOT FLOAT; WHICH WAS SOMETHING I HAD JUST BRIEFED. THEY TURNED US A 5 MI FINAL AND A NORMAL FLAPS 20 DEG LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE FIRE TRUCKS FOLLOWED US OFF THE RWY BUT WE ELECTED TO TAXI TO THE GATE AS I HAD NOT USED A LARGER THAN NORMAL AMOUNT OF BRAKING. ONE OF THE FLAP MOTORS (OR CHANNELS) BROKE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.