A dc-10-40 lost most of its AC and dc emergency power.

Attributes
ACN	271351
Time
Date	199405
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : yyt
State Reference	NF
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : czqx tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 40
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	271351
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We were at cruise when we noticed our clock stopped working. Then we noticed no battery, volts as amps, no battery charger. Next, at times, we were unable to transmit on VHF, but able to receive -- no press to test fault lights. 1) left emergency dc bus off, right emergency dc bus off. 2) left emergency AC bus off, right emergency AC bus off. 3) emergency bus off on front panel. We squawked 7600 and when we were able to transmit on VHF, told ATC of our problem and wanted to return to bos. Main reason for returning: didn't want to cross atlantic with no back-up of AC-dc emergency power. I feel there should be another emergency checklist for this situation on a dc-10- 40. We do not have one. This could possibly be called (partial loss of emergency busses failure).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC-10-40 LOST MOST OF ITS AC AND DC EMER PWR.

Narrative: WE WERE AT CRUISE WHEN WE NOTICED OUR CLOCK STOPPED WORKING. THEN WE NOTICED NO BATTERY, VOLTS AS AMPS, NO BATTERY CHARGER. NEXT, AT TIMES, WE WERE UNABLE TO XMIT ON VHF, BUT ABLE TO RECEIVE -- NO PRESS TO TEST FAULT LIGHTS. 1) L EMER DC BUS OFF, R EMER DC BUS OFF. 2) L EMER AC BUS OFF, R EMER AC BUS OFF. 3) EMER BUS OFF ON FRONT PANEL. WE SQUAWKED 7600 AND WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO XMIT ON VHF, TOLD ATC OF OUR PROB AND WANTED TO RETURN TO BOS. MAIN REASON FOR RETURNING: DIDN'T WANT TO CROSS ATLANTIC WITH NO BACK-UP OF AC-DC EMER PWR. I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE ANOTHER EMER CHKLIST FOR THIS SIT ON A DC-10- 40. WE DO NOT HAVE ONE. THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE CALLED (PARTIAL LOSS OF EMER BUSSES FAILURE).

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.