Slats fail EICAS message causes crj flight crew to return to departure airport.

Attributes
ACN	785348
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt.airport
State Reference	NC
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : clt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	785348
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : eicas
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We departed off of runway 5 at clt at night; flaps 8 degree setting. During the initial climb; the first officer called for flaps up. I selected flaps up and an EICAS amber caution 'slat fail' message was present. I then informed ATC and declared the emergency and requested to return to clt. I then accomplished our QRH procedures which corrected the problem. I then informed ATC the problem was corrected. We landed in clt on runway 5 with no incident. The landing was accomplished with flaps at 45 degrees with no further messages. After landing; the flaps were retracted with no further messages.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SLATS FAIL EICAS MSG CAUSES CRJ FLT CREW TO RETURN TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED OFF OF RWY 5 AT CLT AT NIGHT; FLAPS 8 DEG SETTING. DURING THE INITIAL CLB; THE FO CALLED FOR FLAPS UP. I SELECTED FLAPS UP AND AN EICAS AMBER CAUTION 'SLAT FAIL' MESSAGE WAS PRESENT. I THEN INFORMED ATC AND DECLARED THE EMER AND REQUESTED TO RETURN TO CLT. I THEN ACCOMPLISHED OUR QRH PROCS WHICH CORRECTED THE PROB. I THEN INFORMED ATC THE PROB WAS CORRECTED. WE LANDED IN CLT ON RWY 5 WITH NO INCIDENT. THE LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH FLAPS AT 45 DEGS WITH NO FURTHER MESSAGES. AFTER LNDG; THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED WITH NO FURTHER MESSAGES.

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.