Narrative:

Prior to departing lax for ewr at night, noticed in maintenance log several (7) preexisting write-ups on electrical and flap extension problems. All preexisting write-ups were cleared by maintenance and properly signed off. I called maintenance to the aircraft to discuss this situation. When mechanics arrived I was told that everything 'ground checks ok'. We departed and shortly after takeoff both pitch trims disengaged, we were unable to reinstate #1 pitch trim. While en route we also noticed #2 transformer receiver (T/right) also occasionally caused electrical spikes. We checked en route WX along our flight plan route and found several alternates in case of electrical malfunction/failure. En route portion of flight ok except for previous mentioned minor electrical problems. On approach to ewr we were unable to extend flaps (trailing edge) beyond the flaps 8 degree position (normal landing flaps are 25 degree slats/25 degree flaps). At the time runway 4R-22L at ewr was closed due to construction (4R-22L is the longest runway at ewr). We performed 2 turns in the holding pattern at the 4L NDB to finish all abnormal/normal checklists. At that point we had 9000 pounds of fuel on board (45 mins). We calculated that landing on runway 4L at ewr would be very close on length, so I deemed a divert necessary. We calculated divert to phl to land with 5000 pounds of fuel (25 mins) or jfk with 7000 pounds of fuel (35 mins). Jfk had the longest runways. We diverted to jfk landing with 7100 pounds of fuel. Landing was normal on runway 31L (11,500'). Parked at another airliner gate, performed all checklists, wrote up all maintenance items in logbook, secured aircraft (no power). Did exterior walk-around/secured and chocked wheels myself. The flaps were left in the slats 16 degree flaps/8 degree position at gate for maintenance to check problem. I believe this situation could have been prevented if maintenance had corrected item on previous write-ups. This situation had occurred several times in 3 weeks, nothing was done! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: feedback from maintenance is that the flap tracks accumulate moisture which freezes during flight. The ice causes an obstruction signal to be given the flaps that blocks their extending. Manufacturer representative and company maintenance were sent to jfk and this was their report on this particular incident. Airplane is an honest aircraft and does not have any more unusual problems than any other new type aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF WDB HAD FLAP AND SLAT EXTENSION FAILURE ON APCH TO EWR. DIVERTED TO JFK FOR LONGER RWYS AND MAINTENANCE AVAILABILITY.

Narrative: PRIOR TO DEPARTING LAX FOR EWR AT NIGHT, NOTICED IN MAINT LOG SEVERAL (7) PREEXISTING WRITE-UPS ON ELECTRICAL AND FLAP EXTENSION PROBLEMS. ALL PREEXISTING WRITE-UPS WERE CLRED BY MAINT AND PROPERLY SIGNED OFF. I CALLED MAINT TO THE ACFT TO DISCUSS THIS SITUATION. WHEN MECHANICS ARRIVED I WAS TOLD THAT EVERYTHING 'GND CHECKS OK'. WE DEPARTED AND SHORTLY AFTER TKOF BOTH PITCH TRIMS DISENGAGED, WE WERE UNABLE TO REINSTATE #1 PITCH TRIM. WHILE ENRTE WE ALSO NOTICED #2 TRANSFORMER RECEIVER (T/R) ALSO OCCASIONALLY CAUSED ELECTRICAL SPIKES. WE CHECKED ENRTE WX ALONG OUR FLT PLAN ROUTE AND FOUND SEVERAL ALTERNATES IN CASE OF ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. ENRTE PORTION OF FLT OK EXCEPT FOR PREVIOUS MENTIONED MINOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ON APCH TO EWR WE WERE UNABLE TO EXTEND FLAPS (TRAILING EDGE) BEYOND THE FLAPS 8 DEG POSITION (NORMAL LNDG FLAPS ARE 25 DEG SLATS/25 DEG FLAPS). AT THE TIME RWY 4R-22L AT EWR WAS CLOSED DUE TO CONSTRUCTION (4R-22L IS THE LONGEST RWY AT EWR). WE PERFORMED 2 TURNS IN THE HOLDING PATTERN AT THE 4L NDB TO FINISH ALL ABNORMAL/NORMAL CHECKLISTS. AT THAT POINT WE HAD 9000 LBS OF FUEL ON BOARD (45 MINS). WE CALCULATED THAT LNDG ON RWY 4L AT EWR WOULD BE VERY CLOSE ON LENGTH, SO I DEEMED A DIVERT NECESSARY. WE CALCULATED DIVERT TO PHL TO LAND WITH 5000 LBS OF FUEL (25 MINS) OR JFK WITH 7000 LBS OF FUEL (35 MINS). JFK HAD THE LONGEST RWYS. WE DIVERTED TO JFK LNDG WITH 7100 LBS OF FUEL. LNDG WAS NORMAL ON RWY 31L (11,500'). PARKED AT ANOTHER AIRLINER GATE, PERFORMED ALL CHECKLISTS, WROTE UP ALL MAINT ITEMS IN LOGBOOK, SECURED ACFT (NO POWER). DID EXTERIOR WALK-AROUND/SECURED AND CHOCKED WHEELS MYSELF. THE FLAPS WERE LEFT IN THE SLATS 16 DEG FLAPS/8 DEG POSITION AT GATE FOR MAINT TO CHECK PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF MAINT HAD CORRECTED ITEM ON PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS. THIS SITUATION HAD OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES IN 3 WEEKS, NOTHING WAS DONE! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FEEDBACK FROM MAINT IS THAT THE FLAP TRACKS ACCUMULATE MOISTURE WHICH FREEZES DURING FLT. THE ICE CAUSES AN OBSTRUCTION SIGNAL TO BE GIVEN THE FLAPS THAT BLOCKS THEIR EXTENDING. MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVE AND COMPANY MAINT WERE SENT TO JFK AND THIS WAS THEIR REPORT ON THIS PARTICULAR INCIDENT. AIRPLANE IS AN HONEST ACFT AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY MORE UNUSUAL PROBLEMS THAN ANY OTHER NEW TYPE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.