Narrative:

During climbout we received handoff from tower to departure later than normal. We were climbing through 3;500 MSL when instructed to turn and contact departure control. I acknowledged the instruction from tower as the pilot flying called for the climb check to the box. I began the flow associated with the climb check while checking in with departure control; and clearing the airspace to the left of the aircraft for the turn. I reached up intending to turn off the landing lights. I missed the landing light switches and turned off the generator switches. As I was selecting the 3rd switch (gen 2) off; several warnings/cautions illuminated. I realized that I was moving the wrong switches and immediately selected the generator switches back on. The momentary power interruption was enough to cause an inadvertent air driven generator deployment. I consulted the QRH; and ran the appropriate checklist. We had normal AC power. Both gen 1 and gen 2 were online. Since the air driven generator was deployed we knew we would have to return. I notified ATC; the flight attendant; the passengers; dispatch and operations. We made a normal landing; and taxied to the gate.I need to take the time to ensure that I have the correct switch before moving it. I shouldn't attempt to accomplish so many tasks at once. I should have waited until I had finished checking in with departure before beginning the checklist; so that I could give full attention to the task.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ-100/200 Captain; distracted by a late clearance to contact Departure Control; inadvertently turned off the generator switches instead of the landing lights while performing the After Takeoff Checklist. Although the generators returned to operation their momentary loss triggered the deployment of the Air Driven Generator and the flight returned to their departure airport to have it restored.

Narrative: During climbout we received handoff from Tower to Departure later than normal. We were climbing through 3;500 MSL when instructed to turn and contact Departure Control. I acknowledged the instruction from Tower as the pilot flying called for the climb check to the box. I began the flow associated with the climb check while checking in with Departure Control; and clearing the airspace to the left of the aircraft for the turn. I reached up intending to turn off the landing lights. I missed the landing light switches and turned off the generator switches. As I was selecting the 3rd switch (Gen 2) off; several warnings/cautions illuminated. I realized that I was moving the wrong switches and immediately selected the generator switches back on. The momentary power interruption was enough to cause an inadvertent ADG deployment. I consulted the QRH; and ran the appropriate checklist. We had normal AC power. Both Gen 1 and Gen 2 were online. Since the ADG was deployed we knew we would have to return. I notified ATC; the Flight Attendant; the passengers; Dispatch and Operations. We made a normal landing; and taxied to the gate.I need to take the time to ensure that I have the correct switch before moving it. I shouldn't attempt to accomplish so many tasks at once. I should have waited until I had finished checking in with Departure before beginning the checklist; so that I could give full attention to the task.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.