APU electrical failure in flight.

Attributes
ACN	278936
Time
Date	199408
Day	Tue
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	278936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Generator problem. When we arrived at the aircraft for flight the left engine generator was written up as disconnected and inoperative. A hand written note in the book asked us the flight crew to please disconnect the CSD after engine start. We were unable to understand the note and asked a maintenance man if it was disconnected at the engine. He just kind of nodded and left. After engine start the left generator cycled off and on the line. I realized what was happening and turned the generator switch off. We ran the APU as required and departed. With about 45 mins left to tus--the APU generator dropped off the line and the right generator failed to cross tie resulting in a cross tie lockout light. The APU generator was reset and operated normally for 5 mins. The APU then tripped off again. We descended from 35000- 28000 ft and turned off the galley power to reduce loads. The APU generator then reset and worked normally for the rest of the flight. Normal procedures were followed to landing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APU ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN FLT.

Narrative: GENERATOR PROB. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE ACFT FOR FLT THE L ENG GENERATOR WAS WRITTEN UP AS DISCONNECTED AND INOP. A HAND WRITTEN NOTE IN THE BOOK ASKED US THE FLC TO PLEASE DISCONNECT THE CSD AFTER ENG START. WE WERE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE NOTE AND ASKED A MAINT MAN IF IT WAS DISCONNECTED AT THE ENG. HE JUST KIND OF NODDED AND LEFT. AFTER ENG START THE L GENERATOR CYCLED OFF AND ON THE LINE. I REALIZED WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND TURNED THE GENERATOR SWITCH OFF. WE RAN THE APU AS REQUIRED AND DEPARTED. WITH ABOUT 45 MINS LEFT TO TUS--THE APU GENERATOR DROPPED OFF THE LINE AND THE R GENERATOR FAILED TO CROSS TIE RESULTING IN A CROSS TIE LOCKOUT LIGHT. THE APU GENERATOR WAS RESET AND OPERATED NORMALLY FOR 5 MINS. THE APU THEN TRIPPED OFF AGAIN. WE DSNDED FROM 35000- 28000 FT AND TURNED OFF THE GALLEY PWR TO REDUCE LOADS. THE APU GENERATOR THEN RESET AND WORKED NORMALLY FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. NORMAL PROCS WERE FOLLOWED TO LNDG.

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.