B737 CAPT BUMPS FLAP HANDLE OUT OF THE DETENT AT FL360.

Date: 2006-11 · Aircraft: B737-300 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: other-inadvertent-flap-extension

Synopsis

B737 CAPT BUMPS FLAP HANDLE OUT OF THE DETENT AT FL360.

Narrative

APPROX 200 MI FROM DEST; CAPT WAS USING THE FMS CDU (SINGLE BOX ON A 300 ACFT) AT CRUISE; TO OBTAIN THE LNDG FIELD CONDITIONS. I WAS THE PF. THE CAPT'S HAND OR WRIST MOVED AGAINST THE FLAP LEVER; AND BUMPED/MOVED IT OUT OF THE UP DETENT. IT WAS OUT OF THE UP POS FOR LESS THAN 1 SECOND. AS THE LEADING EDGE AND TRAILING EDGE DEVICES HAD HYD PRESSURE APPLIED TO THEM; EVEN FOR JUST A VERY SHORT TIME; AND AS THE SPD EXCEEDED THE FLAPS POS 1 INDICATED AIRSPD LIMIT; THE CAPT WROTE THE OCCURRENCE IN THE LOGBOOK. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. MAINT MET THE PLANE UPON ARR. 1) MAKE SURE THE FLAP HANDLE IS FIRMLY IN THE 'UP' DETENT. IN THIS CASE; IT MAY WELL HAVE BEEN; BUT IF IT WAS NOT; IT WOULD MAKE IT MUCH EASIER TO BUMP THE HANDLE OUT OF POS. 2) USE GREAT CARE NOT TO REST ONE'S HAND ON THE FLAP LEVER WHEN USING THE CDU. 3) INSTALLING ANOTHER CDU ON THE CAPT'S SIDE WOULD HAVE ELIMINATED THE NEED FOR THE CAPT TO REACH OVER AND HAVE HIS HAND RIGHT NEXT TO THE FLAP LEVER WHILE WORKING THE CDU. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 716582: THE -300; -500 ACFT WERE DESIGNED TO BE OPERATED WITH DUAL CDU'S IN PLACE. THE LOCATION OF THE DUAL CDU'S ON EACH SIDE OF THE PEDESTAL MAKES THE RESPECTIVE CDU EASY AND CONVENIENT TO ACCESS FOR EACH PLT. THE SINGLE CDU INSTALLATION IN OUR ACFT ON THE FO'S SIDE ALLOWS THIS TYPE OF INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE FLAPS AND LEADING EDGE DEVICES TO OCCUR.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.