B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 170; Flight Crew Total 7900; Flight Crew Type 3000
Situational Awareness; Distraction; Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Took off and ran the After Takeoff Checklist. [We] noticed that the flaps were split slightly upon retraction of around a needle width or less. [We] requested vectors from ATC to try to troubleshoot. Ran QRH but it only applies to landing; not a split on flap retraction after takeoff. Captain called Maintenance via Commercial Radio and we relayed to them that the aircraft was flying straight with rudder and aileron trim zeroed out. They informed us initially that it was an indication problem so we elected to continue. Non-rev pilot looked at flaps and conformed that they were both even. We stayed at 250 KIAS the whole way because the aircraft seemed to be performing well there. They then sent us a message that the flaps 'may' be locked out. The Captain once again called Maintenance and had them explain this to us. They said they downloaded information from the aircraft and it was indicating a lockout but we wouldn't know for sure until we tried to put the flaps out. We could elect to land short or go to our filed destination; our call. We elected to continue on because they have a 12;000 FT runway and because we needed to burn as much weight off as possible in the event of a trailing edge flaps 0 landing. We descended to a lower altitude and continued on as any other normal flight. [We] briefed flight attendants again. We read the QRH a few times over to digest the contents and came up with a very specific script on what we were going to accomplish if the flaps were indeed locked out when we tried them during approach. Upon our initial vector and speed reduction; I called for flaps 1 and they did not move. At that point we activated our plan; declared an emergency; and did a 270 through final to rejoin while we ran the QRH. After established on a long final we transferred controls and the Captain made a nice landing; not hard or overweight. [We] taxied to the gate.
A B737 trailing edge flaps indicated a slight split after flap retraction but since the aircraft performed normally the flight continued to the filed destination where the flaps would not extend so an emergency was declared; the QRH completed and an uneventful landing followed.