Narrative:

The captain was the PF; the first officer was the pilot monitoring. During confign for landing to runway xxl at ZZZ; the first officer noticed during flap extension from 5 degrees to 15 degrees that the trailing edge flaps needles slightly split when approaching the 10 degree position. The flaps stopped just short of the 10 degree position. As the flap lever was positioned to 15 degrees; the trailing edge flaps stopped moving and froze in the top of the 10 degree white band in a symmetric position. The amber 'leading edge flaps transit' light was illuminated. The flaps failed to move to the 15 degree position. A go around was executed and an emergency was declared. Several orbits were needed to allow time for the first officer to complete the leading edge flaps light and the trailing edge flaps disagreement checklists. Alternate flap extension positioned trailing edge flaps to 15 degrees and the 'leading edge flaps extension' green light illuminated. The 'leading edge flaps transit' amber light was extinguished. A flaps 15 degree landing was accomplished with no further complications. Checklist was accomplished quickly due to low fuel state and the need to configure early on final due to the slow flap extension when the alternate flap switch is used. After landing; the fire department chief inspected the airplane including the brakes for abnormalities and found none. We taxied to the gate after the inspection. I'm concerned that fuel loads have been reduced to the point that if any abnormal occurs that requires a go around; early confign or time to deal with checklist requirements; desired checklist completion and approach preparations could be rushed and some checklist items could be missed. I was fortunate to have a very experienced first officer on board.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT REPORTS FLAPS STUCK AT 10 DEGREES DURING APPROACH REQUIRING GAR. FUEL BECOMES A CONCERN AS QRH PROCEDURES ARE TIME CONSUMING.

Narrative: THE CAPT WAS THE PF; THE FO WAS THE PLT MONITORING. DURING CONFIGN FOR LNDG TO RWY XXL AT ZZZ; THE FO NOTICED DURING FLAP EXTENSION FROM 5 DEGS TO 15 DEGS THAT THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS NEEDLES SLIGHTLY SPLIT WHEN APCHING THE 10 DEG POS. THE FLAPS STOPPED JUST SHORT OF THE 10 DEG POS. AS THE FLAP LEVER WAS POSITIONED TO 15 DEGS; THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS STOPPED MOVING AND FROZE IN THE TOP OF THE 10 DEG WHITE BAND IN A SYMMETRIC POS. THE AMBER 'LEADING EDGE FLAPS TRANSIT' LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE FLAPS FAILED TO MOVE TO THE 15 DEG POS. A GAR WAS EXECUTED AND AN EMER WAS DECLARED. SEVERAL ORBITS WERE NEEDED TO ALLOW TIME FOR THE FO TO COMPLETE THE LEADING EDGE FLAPS LIGHT AND THE TRAILING EDGE FLAPS DISAGREEMENT CHKLISTS. ALTERNATE FLAP EXTENSION POSITIONED TRAILING EDGE FLAPS TO 15 DEGS AND THE 'LEADING EDGE FLAPS EXTENSION' GREEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE 'LEADING EDGE FLAPS TRANSIT' AMBER LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED. A FLAPS 15 DEG LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO FURTHER COMPLICATIONS. CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED QUICKLY DUE TO LOW FUEL STATE AND THE NEED TO CONFIGURE EARLY ON FINAL DUE TO THE SLOW FLAP EXTENSION WHEN THE ALTERNATE FLAP SWITCH IS USED. AFTER LNDG; THE FIRE DEPT CHIEF INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE INCLUDING THE BRAKES FOR ABNORMALITIES AND FOUND NONE. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE AFTER THE INSPECTION. I'M CONCERNED THAT FUEL LOADS HAVE BEEN REDUCED TO THE POINT THAT IF ANY ABNORMAL OCCURS THAT REQUIRES A GAR; EARLY CONFIGN OR TIME TO DEAL WITH CHKLIST REQUIREMENTS; DESIRED CHKLIST COMPLETION AND APCH PREPARATIONS COULD BE RUSHED AND SOME CHKLIST ITEMS COULD BE MISSED. I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY EXPERIENCED FO ON BOARD.

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.