B737-800
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
At approximately 9;000 feet MSL; on an east downwind just after calling for Flaps 1; the Master Caution FLT CONT light and message illuminated. The Yaw Damper had kicked off and could not be reset. We then noticed that the flaps had barely started to move and had not gone to the commanded position. There was an asymmetry indicated. I declared an emergency to Approach and told them we had a flight control problem and we would need vector to accomplish the checklist. I first went to the Trailing Edge Flaps Asymmetry Checklist; which due to the actual configuration led me to the ALL FLAPS UP LANDING checklist. After running the checklist and checking with the advisory landing distances for abnormal configurations table and adding a safety margin similar to that used in computing certificated landing data (an additional 60%) since I was not interested in using max manual braking and maximum reverse thrust; I determined that it wasn't prudent to land on 17l and requested a runway with at least 10;200 feet of available runway. ATC offered 17C and I accepted. We briefed the flight attendants and let SOC know about the emergency and proceeded to execute a visual approach to RWY 17C. Weight was approximately 127;000 pounds and ref speed was around 180 knots. I touched down and used reverse thrust and spoilers to decelerate until 60 knots when I used the wheel brakes. I passed on the info to ARFF that I had not used wheel brakes until 60 knots and had no concern for hot brakes and requested taxi to the gate. I taxied to the gate uneventfully. Conferred with Maintenance about the problem; talked with the Dispatcher and finished the IOE paperwork for my student.
While approaching to land and upon initial configuration of aircraft; the Boeing 737-800 crew received a Master Caution warning and FLT CONT light. The yaw damper had also disconnected and could not be reset. An emergency was declared and all of the appropriate steps were accomplished prior to executing an all flaps up landing at about 180 knots. Aircraft was then taxied to the gate uneventfully.