Narrative:

We finally got going [after being delayed]; boarded; and pushed back with no faulty indications. Taxied out and took off runway xxr. At rotation; heard the click of a generator coming offline. Continued climbout; at thrust reduction altitude 2 ecams appeared: 'elec idg 2 oil lo pr' & 'elec gen 2 fault'. The IDG2 was illuminated with a fault; we ran the ECAM as we continued to climb out. We disconnected the idg and started the APU to get another generator going. As we climbed out; the APU came up and carried the load. At this point we discussed our options; I contacted maintenance and dispatch via ACARS; talked to the flight attendants and people. We climbed up to an altitude of FL230 and looked at new fuel burn of having to go all the way across the country to [destination] with only one working engine generator. We would've had to stay lower and run the APU the entire way; burning all of our contingency fuel doing so; even knowing there was weather to deviate around on the way and no buffer should something else happen. Dispatch requested us to continue to [destination]; but I was not confident in that plan. So; for safety of flight and fuel burn and also not knowing what had gone on to cause the idg to fault; we decided to return to ZZZ. We burned a little fuel while up there getting vectors from approach; and requested a return to ZZZ with no emergency at this time; but requested they have fire and rescue standing by. They coordinated it; and since we figured it was going to take an hour and a half to burn the gas; we elected to run the overweight landing checklist and return overweight. We took a few vectors; then guidance back for a landing on runway xxr ZZZ. Right outside zzzzz intersection; and adv white message started flashing along with the engine page on the ECAM. Engine 2 had developed an oil leak and rapidly lost most of its oil. The engine 2 oil quantity got all the way down to 2.4 quarts. To attempt to ease the load on engine 2; brought the thrust back to idle and continued approach at low power setting as long as possible. We unloaded the packs to the APU; watched our vertical speed and had a smooth touchdown on runway xxr at a weight of 141.3. Engine 2 oil levels at touchdown were 2.3 quarts and pulsing on ECAM. Fire and rescue saw no problems with us; but did follow us to the gate. We shut down engine 2 on taxi in. Upon arrival at gate; maintenance met us and immediately recognized that the idg had clearly been over serviced before departure. Oil was all over the engine; streaking down and back all over it. They told us the idg 2 had probably blown and when that happened; the pressure increased eventually and cause the strain on an oil seal in engine 2 which led to our oil leak. They began repairs and changing seals; with an estimate of at least 3 hours for a fix.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An A319 flight crew were alerted by two ECAM messages: 'ELEC IDG 2 OIL LO PR' & 'ELEC GEN 2 FAULT.' They ran the ECAM checklists and brought the APU online for backup electrical power. They elected to return to their departure airport. During arrival they were alerted to the fact the ENG 2 had developed an oil leak. They landed overweight; but uneventfully and secured the number 2 ENG on taxi in.

Narrative: We finally got going [after being delayed]; boarded; and pushed back with no faulty indications. Taxied out and took off runway XXR. At rotation; heard the click of a generator coming offline. Continued climbout; at thrust reduction altitude 2 ECAMs appeared: 'ELEC IDG 2 OIL LO PR' & 'ELEC GEN 2 FAULT'. The IDG2 was illuminated with a fault; we ran the ECAM as we continued to climb out. We disconnected the IDG and started the APU to get another generator going. As we climbed out; the APU came up and carried the load. At this point we discussed our options; I contacted Maintenance and Dispatch via ACARS; talked to the flight attendants and people. We climbed up to an altitude of FL230 and looked at new fuel burn of having to go all the way across the country to [destination] with only one working engine generator. We would've had to stay lower and run the APU the entire way; burning all of our contingency fuel doing so; even knowing there was weather to deviate around on the way and no buffer should something else happen. Dispatch requested us to continue to [destination]; but I was not confident in that plan. So; for safety of flight and fuel burn and also not knowing what had gone on to cause the IDG to fault; we decided to return to ZZZ. We burned a little fuel while up there getting vectors from Approach; and requested a return to ZZZ with no emergency at this time; but requested they have fire and rescue standing by. They coordinated it; and since we figured it was going to take an hour and a half to burn the gas; we elected to run the overweight landing checklist and return overweight. We took a few vectors; then guidance back for a landing on Runway XXR ZZZ. Right outside ZZZZZ intersection; and ADV white message started flashing along with the ENGINE page on the ECAM. ENGINE 2 had developed an oil leak and rapidly lost most of its oil. The ENG 2 oil quantity got all the way down to 2.4 quarts. To attempt to ease the load on ENG 2; brought the thrust back to idle and continued approach at low power setting as long as possible. We unloaded the packs to the APU; watched our vertical speed and had a smooth touchdown on Runway XXR at a weight of 141.3. ENG 2 oil levels at touchdown were 2.3 quarts and pulsing on ECAM. Fire and rescue saw no problems with us; but did follow us to the gate. We shut down ENG 2 on taxi in. Upon arrival at gate; maintenance met us and immediately recognized that the IDG had clearly been over serviced before departure. Oil was all over the engine; streaking down and back all over it. They told us the IDG 2 had probably blown and when that happened; the pressure increased eventually and cause the strain on an oil seal in ENG 2 which led to our OIL leak. They began repairs and changing seals; with an estimate of at least 3 hours for a fix.

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.