Narrative:

When we selected flaps 20; we received a 'flap asym' caution. Elected to go missed with the understanding that this failure locks the flaps at the present position. We started into the published missed approach for the hold. Tower gave us an assigned altitude of 5000 rather than 6000 and handed us off to center. Apparently there was some confusion between the controllers during the handoff because center asked us if we were in the turn back to the south. He was under the impression that we were going back to the LOM on the ILS and we told him we were doing the published missed. He then told us to climb to 6000 for his MVA and we complied. However; this altitude put us right in the bases; in icing conditions but with no apparent ice accumulation. The 400XP has a limitation for icing conditions which requires you to land within 20 minutes of selecting flaps 10 or else you must land at that setting with the appropriate penalties for tail stall protection. We did not have this option with the flaps stuck at 20. With this consideration; we decided it would be more prudent to remain clear of icing conditions; and we were vectored back to the LOM to hold at 5000. We complied with the abnormal checklist and worked out the landing distances with flaps 20; which gave us a 20% increase in landing distance under the present conditions. The runway is 7004 feet long and had patchy thin snow/ice reported with braking action fair. The runway at our alternate was only 6300 feet long and we had concerns about getting there with flaps 20 in icing conditions; so decided that our destination was the best option. The passengers were briefed on the situation and we completed the approach and landing without incident. I found the braking action to be very good on the runway. Both the tower and the center controllers were very helpful throughout the event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: On initial approach to their destination; a BE-400A Flight Crew encountered a stuck flap asymmetry condition in icing conditions; coordinated their abnormal procedures and their need to remain out of icing conditions with ATC and landed safely.

Narrative: When we selected Flaps 20; we received a 'FLAP ASYM' caution. Elected to go missed with the understanding that this failure locks the flaps at the present position. We started into the published missed approach for the hold. Tower gave us an assigned altitude of 5000 rather than 6000 and handed us off to Center. Apparently there was some confusion between the controllers during the handoff because Center asked us if we were in the turn back to the south. He was under the impression that we were going back to the LOM on the ILS and we told him we were doing the published missed. He then told us to climb to 6000 for his MVA and we complied. However; this altitude put us right in the bases; in icing conditions but with no apparent ice accumulation. The 400XP has a limitation for icing conditions which requires you to land within 20 minutes of selecting Flaps 10 or else you must land at that setting with the appropriate penalties for tail stall protection. We did not have this option with the flaps stuck at 20. With this consideration; we decided it would be more prudent to remain clear of icing conditions; and we were vectored back to the LOM to hold at 5000. We complied with the abnormal checklist and worked out the landing distances with flaps 20; which gave us a 20% increase in landing distance under the present conditions. The runway is 7004 feet long and had patchy thin snow/ice reported with braking action fair. The runway at our alternate was only 6300 feet long and we had concerns about getting there with Flaps 20 in icing conditions; so decided that our destination was the best option. The passengers were briefed on the situation and we completed the approach and landing without incident. I found the braking action to be very good on the runway. Both the Tower and the Center controllers were very helpful throughout the event.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.