Real Life Mechanical problem-737-200 from KATL to KCLT

[Guest gremel]

This past Thursday on a flight that originated on a 757 from KLAS to KATL, my wife & I boarded Flight 414 to Charlotte. The approach was initiated and everything appeared to be normal so I went about reading the inflight mag's...I sensed that the pilot was not slowing the A/C during the approach and also sensed that something wasn't quite right. As we were descending further, the pilot did a missed approach and started to climb. I noticed that the flaps on descent were no greater than 15 or possibly at max 20 degrees. After a minute or two, the Captain came on and told us that they were experiencing a mechanical problem with one of the leading edge slats that would not go down. The starboard was OK, but the port would not go down. He said that they were reviewing the problem and hoped to have something resolved within the next 10 to 15 minutes. He came on again and said that they would be landing in Charlotte and boy what a landing. I noticed all along in the final approach that he was extremely low and the speed was really excessive. I also noticed that he was at 15 deg. flaps or 20 deg's. With my head out the window all the way, we hit the runway at a pretty good clip and he set it down without hardly any flare at all (Thank God) and then the spoilers were up and the reversers were on for what seemed to be an eternity. I'm sure the Autobrakes were on the Max. position....We landed on 36R I believe, which is the longest runway and didn't have that much left when we turned off...Whew!!Everybody applauded the Captain and Crew for a magnificent landing and when everybody deplaned, I went up and spoke to the crew.I asked him what his VREF was coming in and he told me it was 155kts.He also confirmed that he was at 15 degrees flaps. The plane was moderately loaded upon landing and thank God the weather was VMC and not overcast since he obviously had to keep it well below the glideslope to insure that he set it down quickly given his high VREF speed...The last flight I was on going out of KATL to KSLC, we had a flap disagree in a 767-400...We went on to KSLC and landed there since he would have to deplete his fuel load to get within his minimum 407k landing wgt requirement....So, if your looking for adventure, let me know when you want to experience a mech. failure and fly with me....Just kidding..Regards & just thought I'd share this with all of you.JackKGSP