Return land due to aircraft equipment problem flap motor failure.

Attributes
ACN	290827
Time
Date	199412
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pwm
State Reference	ME
Altitude	agl bound lower : 500 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pwm
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	290827
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

PF called for flaps up. No flap movement advised departure control we needed to return. We calculated we would not dump fuel and land overweight since we had been vectored over the ocean with flaps still down. We didn't want to get stuck with an engine out over the ocean. The overweight landing maintenance check is very simple. Landed normally, no services required. Later, in the hangar, the mechanic got a call from the FAA saying they needed the reason why the airplane had to return. At that point mechanic didn't know why flaps had failed. The FAA inspector stated he needed this information for an incident report. As far as we were concerned, we did not have an incident, no emergency, just flaps that didn't work. It turns out the flap motor had failed. Repaired and went on our way.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND DUE TO ACFT EQUIP PROB FLAP MOTOR FAILURE.

Narrative: PF CALLED FOR FLAPS UP. NO FLAP MOVEMENT ADVISED DEP CTL WE NEEDED TO RETURN. WE CALCULATED WE WOULD NOT DUMP FUEL AND LAND OVERWT SINCE WE HAD BEEN VECTORED OVER THE OCEAN WITH FLAPS STILL DOWN. WE DIDN'T WANT TO GET STUCK WITH AN ENG OUT OVER THE OCEAN. THE OVERWT LNDG MAINT CHK IS VERY SIMPLE. LANDED NORMALLY, NO SVCS REQUIRED. LATER, IN THE HANGAR, THE MECH GOT A CALL FROM THE FAA SAYING THEY NEEDED THE REASON WHY THE AIRPLANE HAD TO RETURN. AT THAT POINT MECH DIDN'T KNOW WHY FLAPS HAD FAILED. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED HE NEEDED THIS INFO FOR AN INCIDENT RPT. AS FAR AS WE WERE CONCERNED, WE DID NOT HAVE AN INCIDENT, NO EMER, JUST FLAPS THAT DIDN'T WORK. IT TURNS OUT THE FLAP MOTOR HAD FAILED. REPAIRED AND WENT ON OUR WAY.

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.