Narrative:

During descent to approach the first officer was flying aircraft and called for 'slats extend' to begin landing confign. I selected the flap/slat handle to what I thought was the 0 degree/ext position. An amber 'slat disagree' light illuminated showing disagreement between handle selection and actual slat position. I informed ATC of a flight control problem and asked for vectors away from the approach course to have time to resolve the problem. ATC assigned a 180 degree vector and 6000' MSL altitude and offered any assistance we would need. I stated none was needed at that time. I instructed first officer to continue flying and monitoring radio while I accomplished the appropriate abnormal checklist 'slat disagree light on.' while referring to checklist, I jiggled the flap/slat handle to check for proper seating in the initial 0 degree/ext detent. The handle promptly dropped into the proper detent and correctly annunciated the 0 degree/ext position. It was obvious to the crew that I had inadvertently placed the flap/slat handle just short of the required detent on initial movement. There never was a malfunction of the flight control system. Therefore, I advised ATC that our problem was resolved and requested vectors for approach clearance in sequence with other traffic. At no time did I request priority handling or any unusual special assistance. I only requested vectors away from the approach to have time to evaluate a potential problem. The crew completed all normal landing checklists with all flight control surfaces positioned and annunciated properly. The landing was uneventful. At gate arrival, I completed the maintenance log with a 'no items' entry signifying the aircraft was mechanically sound. The flight control protection system functioned perfectly by advising crew of incorrect handle/surface connection. However, the disagreement light was due to human error and not actual flight control failure. As such, no mechanical discrepancy was entered in maintenance log.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW ENCOUNTERED A SLAT DISAGREE LIGHT WHEN FLAP HANDLE PLACED IN ZERO/EXTEND POSITION. AFTER A VECTOR OFF THE APCH, JIGGLING THE FLAP HANDLE RESTORED INDICATORS TO PROPER INDICATION.

Narrative: DURING DSNT TO APCH THE F/O WAS FLYING ACFT AND CALLED FOR 'SLATS EXTEND' TO BEGIN LNDG CONFIGN. I SELECTED THE FLAP/SLAT HANDLE TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE 0 DEG/EXT POS. AN AMBER 'SLAT DISAGREE' LIGHT ILLUMINATED SHOWING DISAGREEMENT BTWN HANDLE SELECTION AND ACTUAL SLAT POS. I INFORMED ATC OF A FLT CTL PROB AND ASKED FOR VECTORS AWAY FROM THE APCH COURSE TO HAVE TIME TO RESOLVE THE PROB. ATC ASSIGNED A 180 DEG VECTOR AND 6000' MSL ALT AND OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE WE WOULD NEED. I STATED NONE WAS NEEDED AT THAT TIME. I INSTRUCTED F/O TO CONTINUE FLYING AND MONITORING RADIO WHILE I ACCOMPLISHED THE APPROPRIATE ABNORMAL CHKLIST 'SLAT DISAGREE LIGHT ON.' WHILE REFERRING TO CHKLIST, I JIGGLED THE FLAP/SLAT HANDLE TO CHK FOR PROPER SEATING IN THE INITIAL 0 DEG/EXT DETENT. THE HANDLE PROMPTLY DROPPED INTO THE PROPER DETENT AND CORRECTLY ANNUNCIATED THE 0 DEG/EXT POS. IT WAS OBVIOUS TO THE CREW THAT I HAD INADVERTENTLY PLACED THE FLAP/SLAT HANDLE JUST SHORT OF THE REQUIRED DETENT ON INITIAL MOVEMENT. THERE NEVER WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE FLT CTL SYS. THEREFORE, I ADVISED ATC THAT OUR PROB WAS RESOLVED AND REQUESTED VECTORS FOR APCH CLRNC IN SEQUENCE WITH OTHER TFC. AT NO TIME DID I REQUEST PRIORITY HANDLING OR ANY UNUSUAL SPECIAL ASSISTANCE. I ONLY REQUESTED VECTORS AWAY FROM THE APCH TO HAVE TIME TO EVALUATE A POTENTIAL PROB. THE CREW COMPLETED ALL NORMAL LNDG CHKLISTS WITH ALL FLT CTL SURFACES POSITIONED AND ANNUNCIATED PROPERLY. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. AT GATE ARR, I COMPLETED THE MAINT LOG WITH A 'NO ITEMS' ENTRY SIGNIFYING THE ACFT WAS MECHANICALLY SOUND. THE FLT CTL PROTECTION SYS FUNCTIONED PERFECTLY BY ADVISING CREW OF INCORRECT HANDLE/SURFACE CONNECTION. HOWEVER, THE DISAGREEMENT LIGHT WAS DUE TO HUMAN ERROR AND NOT ACTUAL FLT CTL FAILURE. AS SUCH, NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCY WAS ENTERED IN MAINT LOG.

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