B737 crew diverted to an airport with longer runways because of flap indicator problem.

Attributes
ACN	447570
Time
Date	199908
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : sqs.vortac
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	447570
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Upon arrival at the airplane, a mechanic told me that the inbound crew had a flap abnormal, and that the flap position indicator had been changed, and the flaps operated normally at the gate. After takeoff, the flaps retracted normally. During cruise at FL350 we noticed that the left flap position needle indicated up and the right flap needle indicated one degree. I called dispatch and the maintenance coordinator and told them that the flaps might not extend due to asymmetry protection. With dispatch concurrence, we changed our destination from hou to iah due to longer runways and company maintenance. On the arrival, I declared an emergency. At 10000 ft, we noticed both flap needles indicated up. We slowed and extended the flaps, and they worked normally. I canceled the emergency and the first officer made a normal landing. Subsequently, we ferried the airplane to atlanta for maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW DIVERTED TO AN ARPT WITH LONGER RWYS BECAUSE OF FLAP INDICATOR PROB.

Narrative: UPON ARR AT THE AIRPLANE, A MECH TOLD ME THAT THE INBOUND CREW HAD A FLAP ABNORMAL, AND THAT THE FLAP POS INDICATOR HAD BEEN CHANGED, AND THE FLAPS OPERATED NORMALLY AT THE GATE. AFTER TKOF, THE FLAPS RETRACTED NORMALLY. DURING CRUISE AT FL350 WE NOTICED THAT THE L FLAP POS NEEDLE INDICATED UP AND THE R FLAP NEEDLE INDICATED ONE DEG. I CALLED DISPATCH AND THE MAINT COORDINATOR AND TOLD THEM THAT THE FLAPS MIGHT NOT EXTEND DUE TO ASYMMETRY PROTECTION. WITH DISPATCH CONCURRENCE, WE CHANGED OUR DEST FROM HOU TO IAH DUE TO LONGER RWYS AND COMPANY MAINT. ON THE ARR, I DECLARED AN EMER. AT 10000 FT, WE NOTICED BOTH FLAP NEEDLES INDICATED UP. WE SLOWED AND EXTENDED THE FLAPS, AND THEY WORKED NORMALLY. I CANCELED THE EMER AND THE FO MADE A NORMAL LNDG. SUBSEQUENTLY, WE FERRIED THE AIRPLANE TO ATLANTA FOR MAINT.

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.