Q400
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Weather
When flaps were selected to 35 they extended to approximately 30 and stopped. The FLAP DRIVE caution light illuminated. We were in the critical phase of flight; moderate icing conditions on approach. I considered a missed approach but was unsure if the flaps would retract. I considered what the aircraft performance might be like with the flaps stuck at 30 degrees in icing conditions and elected to continue the approach to landing as the safer alternative. Since the final was quite long I asked for the First Officer to review the landing considerations in the handbook and applied them as appropriate. Landing; rollout and taxi-in were without incident. Exercised Captain emergency authority to continue approach and review handbook in critical phase of flight for landing considerations.
Q400 Captain experiences a flap drive failure during approach with the flaps stopping at 30 degrees in icing conditions. After considering a go around the approach is continued to an uneventful landing.