Narrative:

I rented a C172 for 1 hour to practice lndgs during touch and goes at ffz. My preflight walkaround inspection of the flaps showed nothing wrong. I extended flaps to full and retracted them to 0 degrees without problems. While gaining airspeed for my second takeoff, aircraft rotated early, between 45-50 KTS, rather than the prescribed 55 KTS. I immediately recognized this as a potential problem: early rotation and climb out prior to achieving the correct rotation airspeed can lead to a loss of lift after leaving ground effect, and the airplane will quickly drop back down on the runway. I pushed in on the control yoke to push the nose down to remain in ground effect and gain proper airspeed. After achieving 60 KTS on the airspeed indicator, I pulled back on the yoke to begin my climb out at 76 KTS. I quickly recognized that aircraft now had a hard time climbing and gaining airspeed. I checked carburetor heat and flaps: carburetor heat was off and the flaps lever was at 0 degrees. I checked the throttle, I was already at full throttle. The engine sounded fine, so I did not think there was a power plant problem. Still, aircraft would not gain airspeed past 65 KTS and I was gaining very little altitude. I checked elevator trim to make sure I had not moved or bumped it during my touch and go: trim was in its proper neutral position. I pushed in on the yoke to push the nose down in an attempt to level and gain airspeed. Even in this attitude, I still could not gain airspeed and had a hard time gaining altitude. I made another check of control panel settings: carburetor heat was off, flaps lever was at 0 degrees, engine gauges were in the green and the engine sounded fine. I could not figure out what was wrong with aircraft. It was at this point that I noticed the difference between the flaps lever (which was set at 0 degrees) and the small metal knob next to the flaps lever (which was lower than the flaps lever). At that moment I remember thinking 'that doesn't seem right,' but I did not make the connection mentally at this point that the small metal knob was the true indicator of the flaps current position. That was my clue that the position of the flaps was wrong. I had now turned downwind. I was about 450 ft below tpa and airspeed was at 65 KTS. I looked over my right shoulder and discovered my flaps were still extended at 20 degrees. Problem found! I had taken off with flaps extended at 20 degrees. No wonder it was so difficult to gain airspeed and altitude. I looked down at the flaps lever: it was 'up' and at 0 degrees. I cycled the flaps lever down, then back up in an attempt to retract the flaps. No change in flap position. I recycled the flaps lever again: this time the flaps finally retracted and I visually confirmed this. Moments after I got the flaps retracted, ffz tower alerted me that tpa at this field is 2200 ft MSL and I should adjust my altitude accordingly. I responded to ffz tower that I was experiencing problems with retracting my flaps, and that I was now adjusting my altitude. Since I did not want to be flying an aircraft with intermittent-working flaps, I requested with tower to make this next landing a full stop. Tower acknowledged my request and asked if I required assistance. I responded with a negative on the need for assistance. Tower then said to expect runway 22L for full stop. I acknowledged the runway numbers back to tower, but I must have become mentally distraction because of the problems with the flaps, since I began expecting runway 22R for my landing runway. I remember thinking 'runway 22R, that's the touch and go runway, that doesn't seem right.' that was my clue that my mental picture of my assigned landing runway was wrong. After stabilizing aircraft at the proper tpa during downwind, I began my setup for full-stop landing and set flaps to 10 degrees. Flaps extended normally. I visually confirmed flaps at 10 degrees. I turned base and set flaps to 20 degrees. Flaps extended normally. I visually confirmed flaps at 20 degrees. I turned final for runway 22R. Tower alerted me that it appears I was lined up for runway 22R, but I was assigned runway 22L by tower. He asked if I thought I would be able to make the adjustment to runway 22L. I responded with a negative, that I didn't think I would be able to adjust for a full stop on runway 22L, since I was already so close to runway 22R, and that if it was ok, could I take runway 22R. He responded with affirmative and gave me clearance for runway 22R. I acknowledged the runway 22R clearance. Tower then had to tell the aircraft behind me to do his touch and go on runway 22L instead of runway 22R (his originally -- assigned runway). That aircraft acknowledged tower's instructions. Realizing I had made a mistake by lining up with the wrong runway (because of the stress I was in due to the problems with my flaps) and because of my mistake another aircraft had to be reassigned, I came on frequency again and apologized to tower for my mistake on lining up with the wrong runway. Tower replied with 'no problem. That's why I'm here.' the CFI thought the stuck flaps problem may be due to a bad (or dirty) micro-switch that controls flap movement. I noted this possibility on my squawk sheet. What I learned from this experience, and what I will do differently in the future: always fly the airplane. I did this successfully. Stay focused! No matter what situation I'm in, stay focused. Stay alert. Stay mindful of all instructions given to me by tower. When a situation like this (or any failure with airplane control surfaces, instruments, etc) occurs, inform tower of my situation sooner than I did in this case. In the future when changing flap position, I will make sure to observe movement of the flap indicator knob and not solely rely on the flap lever's position to indicate actual flap position. If the flap indicator knob does not move with flap lever, I will then visually confirm flap position by looking over my shoulder.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH TO WRONG RWY BY A NEW PVT PLT WHEN HAVING EXPERIENCED A FLAP RETRACTION PROB AND POOR ACFT PERFORMANCE ON THE PRECEDING TKOF FROM FFZ.

Narrative: I RENTED A C172 FOR 1 HR TO PRACTICE LNDGS DURING TOUCH AND GOES AT FFZ. MY PREFLT WALKAROUND INSPECTION OF THE FLAPS SHOWED NOTHING WRONG. I EXTENDED FLAPS TO FULL AND RETRACTED THEM TO 0 DEGS WITHOUT PROBS. WHILE GAINING AIRSPD FOR MY SECOND TKOF, ACFT ROTATED EARLY, BTWN 45-50 KTS, RATHER THAN THE PRESCRIBED 55 KTS. I IMMEDIATELY RECOGNIZED THIS AS A POTENTIAL PROB: EARLY ROTATION AND CLBOUT PRIOR TO ACHIEVING THE CORRECT ROTATION AIRSPD CAN LEAD TO A LOSS OF LIFT AFTER LEAVING GND EFFECT, AND THE AIRPLANE WILL QUICKLY DROP BACK DOWN ON THE RWY. I PUSHED IN ON THE CTL YOKE TO PUSH THE NOSE DOWN TO REMAIN IN GND EFFECT AND GAIN PROPER AIRSPD. AFTER ACHIEVING 60 KTS ON THE AIRSPD INDICATOR, I PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE TO BEGIN MY CLBOUT AT 76 KTS. I QUICKLY RECOGNIZED THAT ACFT NOW HAD A HARD TIME CLBING AND GAINING AIRSPD. I CHKED CARB HEAT AND FLAPS: CARB HEAT WAS OFF AND THE FLAPS LEVER WAS AT 0 DEGS. I CHKED THE THROTTLE, I WAS ALREADY AT FULL THROTTLE. THE ENG SOUNDED FINE, SO I DID NOT THINK THERE WAS A PWR PLANT PROB. STILL, ACFT WOULD NOT GAIN AIRSPD PAST 65 KTS AND I WAS GAINING VERY LITTLE ALT. I CHKED ELEVATOR TRIM TO MAKE SURE I HAD NOT MOVED OR BUMPED IT DURING MY TOUCH AND GO: TRIM WAS IN ITS PROPER NEUTRAL POS. I PUSHED IN ON THE YOKE TO PUSH THE NOSE DOWN IN AN ATTEMPT TO LEVEL AND GAIN AIRSPD. EVEN IN THIS ATTITUDE, I STILL COULD NOT GAIN AIRSPD AND HAD A HARD TIME GAINING ALT. I MADE ANOTHER CHK OF CTL PANEL SETTINGS: CARB HEAT WAS OFF, FLAPS LEVER WAS AT 0 DEGS, ENG GAUGES WERE IN THE GREEN AND THE ENG SOUNDED FINE. I COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ACFT. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT I NOTICED THE DIFFERENCE BTWN THE FLAPS LEVER (WHICH WAS SET AT 0 DEGS) AND THE SMALL METAL KNOB NEXT TO THE FLAPS LEVER (WHICH WAS LOWER THAN THE FLAPS LEVER). AT THAT MOMENT I REMEMBER THINKING 'THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT,' BUT I DID NOT MAKE THE CONNECTION MENTALLY AT THIS POINT THAT THE SMALL METAL KNOB WAS THE TRUE INDICATOR OF THE FLAPS CURRENT POS. THAT WAS MY CLUE THAT THE POS OF THE FLAPS WAS WRONG. I HAD NOW TURNED DOWNWIND. I WAS ABOUT 450 FT BELOW TPA AND AIRSPD WAS AT 65 KTS. I LOOKED OVER MY R SHOULDER AND DISCOVERED MY FLAPS WERE STILL EXTENDED AT 20 DEGS. PROB FOUND! I HAD TAKEN OFF WITH FLAPS EXTENDED AT 20 DEGS. NO WONDER IT WAS SO DIFFICULT TO GAIN AIRSPD AND ALT. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE FLAPS LEVER: IT WAS 'UP' AND AT 0 DEGS. I CYCLED THE FLAPS LEVER DOWN, THEN BACK UP IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETRACT THE FLAPS. NO CHANGE IN FLAP POS. I RECYCLED THE FLAPS LEVER AGAIN: THIS TIME THE FLAPS FINALLY RETRACTED AND I VISUALLY CONFIRMED THIS. MOMENTS AFTER I GOT THE FLAPS RETRACTED, FFZ TWR ALERTED ME THAT TPA AT THIS FIELD IS 2200 FT MSL AND I SHOULD ADJUST MY ALT ACCORDINGLY. I RESPONDED TO FFZ TWR THAT I WAS EXPERIENCING PROBS WITH RETRACTING MY FLAPS, AND THAT I WAS NOW ADJUSTING MY ALT. SINCE I DID NOT WANT TO BE FLYING AN ACFT WITH INTERMITTENT-WORKING FLAPS, I REQUESTED WITH TWR TO MAKE THIS NEXT LNDG A FULL STOP. TWR ACKNOWLEDGED MY REQUEST AND ASKED IF I REQUIRED ASSISTANCE. I RESPONDED WITH A NEGATIVE ON THE NEED FOR ASSISTANCE. TWR THEN SAID TO EXPECT RWY 22L FOR FULL STOP. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE RWY NUMBERS BACK TO TWR, BUT I MUST HAVE BECOME MENTALLY DISTR BECAUSE OF THE PROBS WITH THE FLAPS, SINCE I BEGAN EXPECTING RWY 22R FOR MY LNDG RWY. I REMEMBER THINKING 'RWY 22R, THAT'S THE TOUCH AND GO RWY, THAT DOESN'T SEEM RIGHT.' THAT WAS MY CLUE THAT MY MENTAL PICTURE OF MY ASSIGNED LNDG RWY WAS WRONG. AFTER STABILIZING ACFT AT THE PROPER TPA DURING DOWNWIND, I BEGAN MY SETUP FOR FULL-STOP LNDG AND SET FLAPS TO 10 DEGS. FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY. I VISUALLY CONFIRMED FLAPS AT 10 DEGS. I TURNED BASE AND SET FLAPS TO 20 DEGS. FLAPS EXTENDED NORMALLY. I VISUALLY CONFIRMED FLAPS AT 20 DEGS. I TURNED FINAL FOR RWY 22R. TWR ALERTED ME THAT IT APPEARS I WAS LINED UP FOR RWY 22R, BUT I WAS ASSIGNED RWY 22L BY TWR. HE ASKED IF I THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT TO RWY 22L. I RESPONDED WITH A NEGATIVE, THAT I DIDN'T THINK I WOULD BE ABLE TO ADJUST FOR A FULL STOP ON RWY 22L, SINCE I WAS ALREADY SO CLOSE TO RWY 22R, AND THAT IF IT WAS OK, COULD I TAKE RWY 22R. HE RESPONDED WITH AFFIRMATIVE AND GAVE ME CLRNC FOR RWY 22R. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE RWY 22R CLRNC. TWR THEN HAD TO TELL THE ACFT BEHIND ME TO DO HIS TOUCH AND GO ON RWY 22L INSTEAD OF RWY 22R (HIS ORIGINALLY -- ASSIGNED RWY). THAT ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED TWR'S INSTRUCTIONS. REALIZING I HAD MADE A MISTAKE BY LINING UP WITH THE WRONG RWY (BECAUSE OF THE STRESS I WAS IN DUE TO THE PROBS WITH MY FLAPS) AND BECAUSE OF MY MISTAKE ANOTHER ACFT HAD TO BE REASSIGNED, I CAME ON FREQ AGAIN AND APOLOGIZED TO TWR FOR MY MISTAKE ON LINING UP WITH THE WRONG RWY. TWR REPLIED WITH 'NO PROB. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE.' THE CFI THOUGHT THE STUCK FLAPS PROB MAY BE DUE TO A BAD (OR DIRTY) MICRO-SWITCH THAT CTLS FLAP MOVEMENT. I NOTED THIS POSSIBILITY ON MY SQUAWK SHEET. WHAT I LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE, AND WHAT I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY IN THE FUTURE: ALWAYS FLY THE AIRPLANE. I DID THIS SUCCESSFULLY. STAY FOCUSED! NO MATTER WHAT SIT I'M IN, STAY FOCUSED. STAY ALERT. STAY MINDFUL OF ALL INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO ME BY TWR. WHEN A SIT LIKE THIS (OR ANY FAILURE WITH AIRPLANE CTL SURFACES, INSTS, ETC) OCCURS, INFORM TWR OF MY SIT SOONER THAN I DID IN THIS CASE. IN THE FUTURE WHEN CHANGING FLAP POS, I WILL MAKE SURE TO OBSERVE MOVEMENT OF THE FLAP INDICATOR KNOB AND NOT SOLELY RELY ON THE FLAP LEVER'S POS TO INDICATE ACTUAL FLAP POS. IF THE FLAP INDICATOR KNOB DOES NOT MOVE WITH FLAP LEVER, I WILL THEN VISUALLY CONFIRM FLAP POS BY LOOKING OVER MY SHOULDER.

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.