An medium large transport, with no APU, had an alternator that was trying to fail. They went on.

Attributes
ACN	219611
Time
Date	199208
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iow
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 28000 msl bound upper : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6500 flight time type : 2350
ASRS Report	219611
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 560
ASRS Report	219633
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

Dispatched with inoperative APU. On climb out, just before leveling at FL280, noticed left generator CSD temperature approaching the yellow caution range. After leveling, temperature increased a few degrees into yellow. Checklist abnormal procedure consulted. Checklist said to land due to inoperative APU and possibility of generator failure. Radio calls to dispatch and maintenance were made during which time temperature began to decrease to normal range. Voltage and frequency remained normal always. Elected to continue flight due to decreasing CSD temperature and normal generator operation, overweight landing considerations and VFR WX for continuation of trip. No further problem occurred and generator worked perfectly. No emergency declared. Problem was discovered to be an oversvced CSD oil level.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MLG, WITH NO APU, HAD AN ALTERNATOR THAT WAS TRYING TO FAIL. THEY WENT ON.

Narrative: DISPATCHED WITH INOP APU. ON CLBOUT, JUST BEFORE LEVELING AT FL280, NOTICED L GENERATOR CSD TEMP APCHING THE YELLOW CAUTION RANGE. AFTER LEVELING, TEMP INCREASED A FEW DEGS INTO YELLOW. CHKLIST ABNORMAL PROC CONSULTED. CHKLIST SAID TO LAND DUE TO INOP APU AND POSSIBILITY OF GENERATOR FAILURE. RADIO CALLS TO DISPATCH AND MAINT WERE MADE DURING WHICH TIME TEMP BEGAN TO DECREASE TO NORMAL RANGE. VOLTAGE AND FREQ REMAINED NORMAL ALWAYS. ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT DUE TO DECREASING CSD TEMP AND NORMAL GENERATOR OP, OVERWT LNDG CONSIDERATIONS AND VFR WX FOR CONTINUATION OF TRIP. NO FURTHER PROBLEM OCCURRED AND GENERATOR WORKED PERFECTLY. NO EMER DECLARED. PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED TO BE AN OVERSVCED CSD OIL LEVEL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.