Crj first officer reports flaps fail caution message at flaps 8 on downwind.

Attributes
ACN	729835
Time
Date	200703
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
ASRS Report	729835
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : flaps fail caution msg. other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition none taken : unable
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On the downwind for the runway; we slowed to 220 KTS and selected flaps 8 degrees. Once the flaps reached 8 degrees; the flaps fail caution message appeared. I said that I had the radios and called for the QRH for flaps fail. We informed approach that we were going to need to continue on the present heading to run the QRH for the caution message. Once the QRH was complete; the captain informed the controller that we would be requesting the longer runway and that we were declaring an emergency for flight control failure. We were then vectored to the final approach. The landing speed for the landing was 158 KTS. The trucks met us and followed us down the runway and then accompanied us to the gate. Flaps fail caution message was annunciated on the pfd. The QRH was called for and performed to completion. I have no suggestions. It seemed to just be a gremlin in the system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ FO REPORTS FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE AT FLAPS 8 ON DOWNWIND.

Narrative: ON THE DOWNWIND FOR THE RWY; WE SLOWED TO 220 KTS AND SELECTED FLAPS 8 DEGS. ONCE THE FLAPS REACHED 8 DEGS; THE FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE APPEARED. I SAID THAT I HAD THE RADIOS AND CALLED FOR THE QRH FOR FLAPS FAIL. WE INFORMED APCH THAT WE WERE GOING TO NEED TO CONTINUE ON THE PRESENT HDG TO RUN THE QRH FOR THE CAUTION MESSAGE. ONCE THE QRH WAS COMPLETE; THE CAPT INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE WOULD BE REQUESTING THE LONGER RWY AND THAT WE WERE DECLARING AN EMER FOR FLT CTL FAILURE. WE WERE THEN VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH. THE LNDG SPD FOR THE LNDG WAS 158 KTS. THE TRUCKS MET US AND FOLLOWED US DOWN THE RWY AND THEN ACCOMPANIED US TO THE GATE. FLAPS FAIL CAUTION MESSAGE WAS ANNUNCIATED ON THE PFD. THE QRH WAS CALLED FOR AND PERFORMED TO COMPLETION. I HAVE NO SUGGESTIONS. IT SEEMED TO JUST BE A GREMLIN IN THE SYS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.