Narrative:

Upon climb out from atl, we experienced a trailing edge flap disagreement light on EICAS. The normal flaps locked at approximately 9 degrees. The abnormal procedure was accomplished per aircraft operations manual. The flaps were raised using the alternate method. We checked with company dispatch regarding the legality of proceeding to lax versus returning to atl. Our operations manual did not discuss this. We were assured by dispatch that we were legal. We felt confident in proceeding to our destination airport and used alternate flaps in our landing in lax. We felt we used good judgement with safety always a consideration. We did not appreciate so little guidance on the legality of continuing in the 'alternate flap' mode.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-400 FLT CREW QUESTIONED THE LEGALITY OF CONTINUING FLT TO DEST AFTER HAVING TO CORRECT A SPLIT TRAILING EDGE FLAP DISAGREEMENT LIGHT BY ALTERNATE CHKLIST PROCS AFTER DEP FROM ATL, GA.

Narrative: UPON CLBOUT FROM ATL, WE EXPERIENCED A TRAILING EDGE FLAP DISAGREEMENT LIGHT ON EICAS. THE NORMAL FLAPS LOCKED AT APPROX 9 DEGS. THE ABNORMAL PROC WAS ACCOMPLISHED PER ACFT OPS MANUAL. THE FLAPS WERE RAISED USING THE ALTERNATE METHOD. WE CHKED WITH COMPANY DISPATCH REGARDING THE LEGALITY OF PROCEEDING TO LAX VERSUS RETURNING TO ATL. OUR OPS MANUAL DID NOT DISCUSS THIS. WE WERE ASSURED BY DISPATCH THAT WE WERE LEGAL. WE FELT CONFIDENT IN PROCEEDING TO OUR DEST ARPT AND USED ALTERNATE FLAPS IN OUR LNDG IN LAX. WE FELT WE USED GOOD JUDGEMENT WITH SAFETY ALWAYS A CONSIDERATION. WE DID NOT APPRECIATE SO LITTLE GUIDANCE ON THE LEGALITY OF CONTINUING IN THE 'ALTERNATE FLAP' MODE.

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.