Narrative:

The flaps would not retract from 5 degrees during takeoff phase of our dca to cle flight. As the PF I maintained and never exceeded 210 KTS while the captain sorted through the problem. We verified that it was not a gauge problem by reference to the overhead led display. The captain reviewed the QRH and attempted to gain information from maintenance through dca's operations frequency, after the air phone was found to be inoperative, he ran the test procedure with the cabin crew and discussed briefly with me the probability of declaring an emergency and running the appropriate checklist for a high speed approach and landing at dulles airport. 10 mins into the flight, the captain did manage to retract the flaps to 0 degrees with the normal flap handle. We continued on to our destination and the rest of the flight was uneventful, with normal flap extension upon arrival. Supplemental information from acn 546945: approximately 10 mins after departure (runway 33 DME from iad) we got the flaps to retract normally and, with ATC permission, proceeded to destination. I did not declare an emergency. The flaps linkage is the problem. Recommend more neutral terms/descriptions of onboard problems with ATC/FAA until time to assess the abnormality. In handling this event, I will spend more time listening to auths, FAA and ATC and carefully choose terms. A major problem was the 'gte air phone' was inoperative and I couldn't talk with maintenance.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B733 CREW DEPARTING DCA WERE UNABLE, INITIALLY, TO FULLY RETRACT THE FLAPS. AFTER CHKLIST COMPLIANCE, THE FLAPS RETRACT NORMALLY.

Narrative: THE FLAPS WOULD NOT RETRACT FROM 5 DEGS DURING TKOF PHASE OF OUR DCA TO CLE FLT. AS THE PF I MAINTAINED AND NEVER EXCEEDED 210 KTS WHILE THE CAPT SORTED THROUGH THE PROB. WE VERIFIED THAT IT WAS NOT A GAUGE PROB BY REF TO THE OVERHEAD LED DISPLAY. THE CAPT REVIEWED THE QRH AND ATTEMPTED TO GAIN INFO FROM MAINT THROUGH DCA'S OPS FREQ, AFTER THE AIR PHONE WAS FOUND TO BE INOP, HE RAN THE TEST PROC WITH THE CABIN CREW AND DISCUSSED BRIEFLY WITH ME THE PROBABILITY OF DECLARING AN EMER AND RUNNING THE APPROPRIATE CHKLIST FOR A HIGH SPD APCH AND LNDG AT DULLES AIRPORT. 10 MINS INTO THE FLT, THE CAPT DID MANAGE TO RETRACT THE FLAPS TO 0 DEGS WITH THE NORMAL FLAP HANDLE. WE CONTINUED ON TO OUR DEST AND THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL, WITH NORMAL FLAP EXTENSION UPON ARR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 546945: APPROX 10 MINS AFTER DEP (RWY 33 DME FROM IAD) WE GOT THE FLAPS TO RETRACT NORMALLY AND, WITH ATC PERMISSION, PROCEEDED TO DEST. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. THE FLAPS LINKAGE IS THE PROB. RECOMMEND MORE NEUTRAL TERMS/DESCRIPTIONS OF ONBOARD PROBS WITH ATC/FAA UNTIL TIME TO ASSESS THE ABNORMALITY. IN HANDLING THIS EVENT, I WILL SPEND MORE TIME LISTENING TO AUTHS, FAA AND ATC AND CAREFULLY CHOOSE TERMS. A MAJOR PROB WAS THE 'GTE AIR PHONE' WAS INOP AND I COULDN'T TALK WITH 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.