Date: 202010
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class D ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Flap Control (Trailing & Leading Edge)
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Upon reaching downwind for RWY XX; cleared for the visual approach; at 4;000 ft.; 200kias; I called for flaps 8. The slats did not extend; triggering a SLATS FAIL caution and the flaps came down to 8. I elected to call for the QRH ; took the radios from my First Officer; and stated that we were [advising ATC] and needed to hold over ZZZZZ to run our checklist. We ran through the QRH by the time we reached ZZZZZ and had a quick discussion about fuel; time; landing distance; and the situation in general. I ACARS'ed our Dispatcher to inform him of our situation and status; asking if he wanted us to proceed to a different airport as we had a surplus of fuel. I let the flight attendants know of our situation first; but did not brief the TEST items at this time. I informed the passengers that we had a minor mechanical issue and that we would need a few minutes before landing in C to take care of it. We further computed the increase in landing distance due to the 10kias Vref additive and found ZZZ was a viable destination for our situation as well as receiving a reply from the Dispatcher stating that he was satisfied with ZZZ; but the final decision was ours. We elected to change runways to XY; as it has an ILS and approx. 2;000 ft more length to stop on. We set up; re-briefed the approach; I then briefed the flight attendants the TEST items; and then informed the passengers that we would be landing in 6 minutes. We landed without issue at flaps 45 per the QRH. Upon exiting the runway; I elected to cancel the [advisory] with Tower as there was no way a SLATS issue would preclude a safe taxi. We also elected to not retract the flaps upon clearing the runway and deferred that decision to MX. We proceeded to park and shut down without issue. After shut down; I became involved with talking to MX (approving retraction of the flaps); the Chief Pilot; local fire safety and crash rescue; and Oeps personnel about the status; events; and the aircraft state. I ran the Securing Checklist without having retracted the flaps and left them at 45 deg; matching the handle position. I realized this after having left the secure area of the airport and could not return to correct the aircraft state.  Slats were jammed at 0 degrees per MX BLIN code and fault description.




Synopsis: CRJ-701 flight Captain reported slats failed to extend on approach.