Air carrier large transport climbed to FL330 with flaps not fully up.

Attributes
ACN	187429
Time
Date	199108
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	187429
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We departed minneapolis airport with high cockpit workload (near maximum weight, windshear, immediate turn required after takeoff for thunderstorm avoidance). I called for flap retraction in accordance with company policy, captain raised flap lever, and so called checklist complete. At FL330, so noticed inboard flap gauge at 2 degree. I thought it was a gauge problem since no airframe buffet was detectable, but visual inspection confirmed inboard flaps at 2 degree. We descended to FL200 and slowed below 245 KTS to conform with flap limitation, raised flaps in accordance with checklist using ah flap switch, and continued on to miami with no further problem encountered. Distraction due to WX avoidance caused all 3 of us to not notice flaps stuck down until after exceeding flap limitation. Possibly contributing to my failure to notice inboard flap gauge is it hides directly behind gear handle when placed in off position. With the visible outboard gauge indicating 0, leading edge flap/slat light out, and no airframe buffet, plus so using checklist to confirm climb check complete, if so had not noticed gauge at level off I probably would not have noticed until flap extension in miami, if then. Lesson learned, when I'm flying I always check landing confign myself even though captain and so do too; in the future I'll also always check cleanup confign when I'm flying.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT CLBED TO FL330 WITH FLAPS NOT FULLY UP.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED MINNEAPOLIS ARPT WITH HIGH COCKPIT WORKLOAD (NEAR MAX WT, WINDSHEAR, IMMEDIATE TURN REQUIRED AFTER TKOF FOR TSTM AVOIDANCE). I CALLED FOR FLAP RETRACTION IAW COMPANY POLICY, CAPT RAISED FLAP LEVER, AND SO CALLED CHKLIST COMPLETE. AT FL330, SO NOTICED INBOARD FLAP GAUGE AT 2 DEG. I THOUGHT IT WAS A GAUGE PROBLEM SINCE NO AIRFRAME BUFFET WAS DETECTABLE, BUT VISUAL INSPECTION CONFIRMED INBOARD FLAPS AT 2 DEG. WE DSNDED TO FL200 AND SLOWED BELOW 245 KTS TO CONFORM WITH FLAP LIMITATION, RAISED FLAPS IAW CHKLIST USING AH FLAP SWITCH, AND CONTINUED ON TO MIAMI WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEM ENCOUNTERED. DISTR DUE TO WX AVOIDANCE CAUSED ALL 3 OF US TO NOT NOTICE FLAPS STUCK DOWN UNTIL AFTER EXCEEDING FLAP LIMITATION. POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTING TO MY FAILURE TO NOTICE INBOARD FLAP GAUGE IS IT HIDES DIRECTLY BEHIND GEAR HANDLE WHEN PLACED IN OFF POS. WITH THE VISIBLE OUTBOARD GAUGE INDICATING 0, LEADING EDGE FLAP/SLAT LIGHT OUT, AND NO AIRFRAME BUFFET, PLUS SO USING CHKLIST TO CONFIRM CLB CHK COMPLETE, IF SO HAD NOT NOTICED GAUGE AT LEVEL OFF I PROBABLY WOULD NOT HAVE NOTICED UNTIL FLAP EXTENSION IN MIAMI, IF THEN. LESSON LEARNED, WHEN I'M FLYING I ALWAYS CHK LNDG CONFIGN MYSELF EVEN THOUGH CAPT AND SO DO TOO; IN THE FUTURE I'LL ALSO ALWAYS CHK CLEANUP CONFIGN WHEN I'M FLYING.

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.