04-04-2024I know that this is a serious issue, but reading the last paragraph made me think reporting a flaps issue might be one way to move ahead of the landing line! Just kidding, guys.
From Seattle PI:
Two Alaska Airlines planes experienced wing-flap issues Monday while landing at Sea-Tac Airport, bringing to six the number of incidents involving flaps on the Seattle-based carrier's flights this year.
Flaps provide lift, which lets planes land more slowly, decreasing the odds they will run out of runway. But Alaska Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration say malfunctioning flaps aren't an emergency.
An Alaska Airlines 737-700, Flight 597 from Los Angeles to Seattle, told the Sea-Tac air traffic control tower at about 10:15 p.m. Monday it was having "an unknown flap problem" and would break off its initial approach to make a second attempt, FAA spokesman Mike Fergus said.
The plane landed safely without declaring a precautionary emergency landing, and no damage or injury was reported, Fergus said.
Alaska Airlines spokeswoman Amanda Bielawski said Tuesday in an e-mail that Flight 597 reported a "possible flap issue" but that it landed with its flaps "extended within the normal range."
Less than an hour after that incident, at 11:06 p.m., Alaska Airlines Flight 19 from Orlando, Fla., to Seattle made a precautionary emergency landing, Port of Seattle spokesman Perry Cooper said.
The pilot of the 737-800 reported a "trailing edge flap problem," Cooper said. No damage or injury was reported.
Bielawski said in Tuesday's e-mail that "there was a sensor issue with the trailing edge wing flaps" and that the 737-800 landed without those flaps extended. She said the plane was taken out of service for repairs.
Four flap malfunctions, each leading to a precautionary emergency landing, occurred on Alaska Airlines 737-400s during landings in Alaska on Jan. 10, 11, 20 and 26. No property damage or injuries resulted from those instances, either.
Late last month, the FAA absolved Alaska Airlines of any blame in maintenance or operation in the four 737-400 incidents. The airline said it is continuing to work with The Boeing Co. to understand what caused them. It also said no similar 737-400 incidents have occurred since them.
The FAA and Alaska Airlines do not regard the failure of flaps to operate properly as a safety hazard. At the same time, "when the flaps don't deploy and are expected, this is not handled as routine," FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer said in an earlier interview.
Typically, when flaps fail to extend, the pilot requests a precautionary emergency landing, giving the flight priority over all others in the area and scrambling firefighting equipment.
AIRLINEPILOT CENTRAL
