Date: 201201
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class C ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Flap Control (Trailing & Leading Edge)
Component problem: Malfunctioning; Design
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Procedure; Chart Or Publication; Logbook Entry; Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: In ZZZ; we took over an airplane from a crew who wrote up a Flaps Fail message at '0' [detent]. Maintenance chose to reset the flaps in accordance with the Flap Airworthiness Directive (AD) and our maintenance carry-over procedure. Looking over the [maintenance log/work package]; I found five other previous flap reset maintenance carry-over items on the Deferred Maintenance log. I had a conversation with Maintenance Control about what exactly was the problem and what would be done to fix it. He explained the flap reset process; assured me that there was nothing improper about the reset; and he said there was no reason to be concerned because the FAA is all over us about these flap issues.I had him pull the history for the previous five items because I was curious about the 'Corrective Action' to them. Had any one of the corrective action items been an 'Ops Check good' or anything along those lines; I would have most likely refused the aircraft. However; each time there was a different component replaced; and according to the Maintenance Controller; almost everything in the flap system had been replaced except for the wiring. He said it had been 20-days since the last flap event; and I was satisfied with my query and decided to accept the aircraft. Factoring into my decision was that we were heading to an airport with a 9;000 FT runway with no precipitation or snow forecast at the time of arrival. We read the procedure in the Operations Manual (OM); complied with all of the directives; and contacted the Dispatcher so she could do her checks per the maintenance carry-over [procedures].The flight to our destination was uneventful except for the eventual flap failure at '0' degrees -- the same as the previous logbook discrepancy item. We broke off the approach; declared an emergency with the Tower; and performed the Quick Reference Handbook (QRH) procedure for the flaps fail. The landing was without further incident. After checking my brake temperatures; I canceled the emergency with ATC and we taxied to the gate. I then contacted the Dispatcher and Maintenance Control; and documented the issue in the logbook [noting] earlier flap failure; flap reset; repeat flap failure and eventual emergency landing at '0' degree flaps. I also completed a company reporting form as required. After multiple failures of the same system; the company should take the airplane out of service until the problem is resolved.

Callback: Reporter stated the CRJ-200s have constant problems with their flap system. From what he understands; anytime a Flaps Fail message is written-up and the Flap Control Unit is reset; Maintenance Control will place the flap discrepancy on a maintenance carry-over list. That carry-over list acts like an MEL deferral; but the discrepancy is not actually deferred under any specific MEL Chapter. However; the aircraft 'drops dead'; (is restricted) to 10-flight cycles; where Maintenance has to change a part to address a 'Corrective Action' other than just resetting the Flap Control Unit.Reporter stated there does not appear to be a common flap detent position where many of the Flap Fail messages occur. But; his incident did repeat the previous Logbook Flap Fail message write-up. Maintenance Control took the aircraft out of service to comply with the AD and the Maintenance carry-over procedure and flight restrictions after his incident. He actually ended up ferrying the same CRJ-200 aircraft to a company Maintenance Base. Maintenance had to re-rigged the flap system to correct the Flaps Fail recurring messages.



Synopsis: A Captain reports that one of their CRJ-200 aircraft had six maintenance resets of their Flaps Electronics Control Unit (FECU) for recurring Flaps Fail messages. The practice is allowed under an FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) using a maintenance carry-over procedure that is similar to a deferral; but not actually deferred under any specific MEL Chapter.