Narrative:

The day started with a preflight of the logbook. I noticed a previous crew had written up a flap problem. They had been unable to move the flaps from a deployed position using any of the tools available to them. Maintenance had been performed; maintenance control had issued a cdl and the airplane was returned to revenue service. We flew this airplane from ZZZ to ZZZ1 then on to ZZZ2 and had departed ZZZ2 for an 11 min flight to ZZZ3. As we were making our approach into ZZZ3; we noticed that the flaps would not deploy beyond 9 degrees; +/-1 degree. A missed approach was initiated and coordination with ATC. An emergency was declared with center and we requested a holding pattern to sort out our problem. Company dispatch was contacted and a joint decision to divert to ZZZ4 was made after verifying the landing distance required without partial flap condition; our fuel status and current rate of fuel burn; and the existing and forecasted WX conditions. The flight attendants were notified; and after discussing our situation; the passenger were informed that we would not be landing at ZZZ3 due to a flap failure and we would continue on to ZZZ4. I did my best to keep the passenger up to date; to minimize their sense of anxiety and to assure them of their safety. The QRH was followed. Following the symmetrical trailing edge flap failure/alternate flaps operation procedure from the QRH did not result in the flaps either extending or retracting. We flew the en route portion at a reduced airspeed with the flaps remaining where they had stuck. The QRH checklist was completed. Our approach; touchdown; and bringing the jet to a complete stop went without further incident. After the fire department; that was standing by to assist us; verified that there was no excessive heat emanating from our brakes and wheel assemblies; we taxied to the parking spot without further incident and the passenger disembarked normally into the terminal. I'm not convinced that the underlying mechanical issues have been addressed as this appears to be a second similar failure in a short amount of time. We need to have enough experienced maintenance staff on hand with the tools; training and equipment they need to correctly do their jobs to troubleshoot and repair line maintenance items when they arise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLAPS FAIL ON FLAP EXTENSION NECESSITATING A PARTIAL FLAP LNDG. EMER WAS DECLARED AND FLT DIVERTED TO A MORE SUITABLE ARPT.

Narrative: THE DAY STARTED WITH A PREFLT OF THE LOGBOOK. I NOTICED A PREVIOUS CREW HAD WRITTEN UP A FLAP PROB. THEY HAD BEEN UNABLE TO MOVE THE FLAPS FROM A DEPLOYED POS USING ANY OF THE TOOLS AVAILABLE TO THEM. MAINT HAD BEEN PERFORMED; MAINT CTL HAD ISSUED A CDL AND THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO REVENUE SVC. WE FLEW THIS AIRPLANE FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 THEN ON TO ZZZ2 AND HAD DEPARTED ZZZ2 FOR AN 11 MIN FLT TO ZZZ3. AS WE WERE MAKING OUR APCH INTO ZZZ3; WE NOTICED THAT THE FLAPS WOULD NOT DEPLOY BEYOND 9 DEGS; +/-1 DEG. A MISSED APCH WAS INITIATED AND COORD WITH ATC. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH CTR AND WE REQUESTED A HOLDING PATTERN TO SORT OUT OUR PROB. COMPANY DISPATCH WAS CONTACTED AND A JOINT DECISION TO DIVERT TO ZZZ4 WAS MADE AFTER VERIFYING THE LNDG DISTANCE REQUIRED WITHOUT PARTIAL FLAP CONDITION; OUR FUEL STATUS AND CURRENT RATE OF FUEL BURN; AND THE EXISTING AND FORECASTED WX CONDITIONS. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE NOTIFIED; AND AFTER DISCUSSING OUR SIT; THE PAX WERE INFORMED THAT WE WOULD NOT BE LNDG AT ZZZ3 DUE TO A FLAP FAILURE AND WE WOULD CONTINUE ON TO ZZZ4. I DID MY BEST TO KEEP THE PAX UP TO DATE; TO MINIMIZE THEIR SENSE OF ANXIETY AND TO ASSURE THEM OF THEIR SAFETY. THE QRH WAS FOLLOWED. FOLLOWING THE SYMMETRICAL TRAILING EDGE FLAP FAILURE/ALTERNATE FLAPS OP PROC FROM THE QRH DID NOT RESULT IN THE FLAPS EITHER EXTENDING OR RETRACTING. WE FLEW THE ENRTE PORTION AT A REDUCED AIRSPD WITH THE FLAPS REMAINING WHERE THEY HAD STUCK. THE QRH CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. OUR APCH; TOUCHDOWN; AND BRINGING THE JET TO A COMPLETE STOP WENT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AFTER THE FIRE DEPT; THAT WAS STANDING BY TO ASSIST US; VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE HEAT EMANATING FROM OUR BRAKES AND WHEEL ASSEMBLIES; WE TAXIED TO THE PARKING SPOT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND THE PAX DISEMBARKED NORMALLY INTO THE TERMINAL. I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THE UNDERLYING MECHANICAL ISSUES HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AS THIS APPEARS TO BE A SECOND SIMILAR FAILURE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. WE NEED TO HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCED MAINT STAFF ON HAND WITH THE TOOLS; TRAINING AND EQUIP THEY NEED TO CORRECTLY DO THEIR JOBS TO TROUBLESHOOT AND REPAIR LINE MAINT ITEMS WHEN THEY ARISE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.