Date: 201206
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Landing
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Flap Control (Trailing & Leading Edge)
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Workload; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: The only way to position the Flap Handle during approach after slat extension was to move it [flap handle] while rotating the Dial-a-Flap thumb wheel. No other manner of technique could position the [flap] handle to extend the flaps for landing. While we were unduly focused on the positioning of the handle during this phase of flight; the flaps were finally positioned correctly and checklists completed prior to landing. The workload was less than ideal; but it was decided to accept the circumstances of the flap handle restriction and to not take further time to stay at altitude; hold; and work the problem. On the ground taxiing in; we cycled the flap handle through the positions with normal results. At the gate; with Maintenance consulting and positioning the handle; it bound again (2x) during reenactment. A logbook entry made.

Callback: Reporter stated with Maintenance present at the gate; the flap handle locked up; would not move; two out of the five times they operated the flap handle. If the Dial-a-Flap thumb wheel had also seized; they would not be able to position the flaps with the flap handle. He has flown the DC-10 for many years and has never experienced a flap handle lock-up before. Maintenance believed there was a mechanical problem in the pedestal area under the flap handle and would need further time to troubleshoot. The aircraft was removed from service.

Second narrative: We were called at XA:00 am local time to fly ZZZ-ZZZ1-ZZZ2. The event occurred on landing in ZZZ2. We were on an ILS in VFR conditions to [Runway] 36L. We were on speed and looking good with slats extended when I called for Flaps-15. The Captain responded that he couldn't move the flaps. I looked down and saw that the Dial-a-Flap [thumb wheel] was in the correct position and tried to move them myself. I couldn't. Just as I was saying that we should go around and figure the problem; the Captain was able to move them by rotating the thumb wheel. I called for further flaps. By this time I had disconnected the Autopilot and was looking outside at Visual Approach Slope Indicator (VASI) and runway. We continued to configure as I worked to bring the speed back. We completed checklists (though rushed) and landed. At 500 FT our airspeed was high but was trending back. Instead of going around; I continued to a manual landing. This was a good lesson for me. I would have been much more comfortable going around when we had first encountered this problem. Though I brought up going around; it was more of a suggestion than a command. This will not happen again. Flight Controls or Flaps Binding.


Synopsis: Two pilots report about a Flap Handle positioning problem that arose during approach on their DC-10 aircraft. After slat extension; the Flap Handle could only be moved while rotating the Dial-a-Flap thumb wheel.