Right-hand generator failed and cross tie failed resulting in crew losing many primary flight instruments and deviating from assigned altitude 1500 ft.

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Attributes
ACN	306518
Time
Date	199505
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zob
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 : 6000 flight time type : 1300
ASRS Report	306518
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Lost r-hand generator with alternating current cross-tie lockout light on. Very uncharacteristically of the dc-9, we lost a great number of instruments including our tubed vsi's and both altimeters. We gained approximately 1500 ft before we were able to power our r-hand bus with the APU. Starting the APU took 45 seconds. ATC said there was no problem and switched us to approach control. We landed, wrote up our electrical problem in the aircraft logbook and called maintenance control after talking to ZOB. Unusual to lose these altitude instruments with an alternating current cross-tie lockout. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter was unable to find out why he lost so many instruments. The flag in the altimeter may have been a vibrator that was not pwred with the electrical loss. The reporter said to prevent this situation from occurring at critical time in WX on departures or arrs he will have the APU started and running. The company, due to fuel considerations, does not procedurally dictate the APU be running normally in flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: R-HAND GENERATOR FAILED AND CROSS TIE FAILED RESULTING IN CREW LOSING MANY PRIMARY FLT INSTS AND DEVIATING FROM ASSIGNED ALT 1500 FT.

Narrative: LOST R-HAND GENERATOR WITH ALTERNATING CURRENT CROSS-TIE LOCKOUT LIGHT ON. VERY UNCHARACTERISTICALLY OF THE DC-9, WE LOST A GREAT NUMBER OF INSTS INCLUDING OUR TUBED VSI'S AND BOTH ALTIMETERS. WE GAINED APPROX 1500 FT BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO PWR OUR R-HAND BUS WITH THE APU. STARTING THE APU TOOK 45 SECONDS. ATC SAID THERE WAS NO PROB AND SWITCHED US TO APCH CTL. WE LANDED, WROTE UP OUR ELECTRICAL PROB IN THE ACFT LOGBOOK AND CALLED MAINT CTL AFTER TALKING TO ZOB. UNUSUAL TO LOSE THESE ALT INSTS WITH AN ALTERNATING CURRENT CROSS-TIE LOCKOUT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE RPTR WAS UNABLE TO FIND OUT WHY HE LOST SO MANY INSTS. THE FLAG IN THE ALTIMETER MAY HAVE BEEN A VIBRATOR THAT WAS NOT PWRED WITH THE ELECTRICAL LOSS. THE RPTR SAID TO PREVENT THIS SIT FROM OCCURRING AT CRITICAL TIME IN WX ON DEPS OR ARRS HE WILL HAVE THE APU STARTED AND RUNNING. THE COMPANY, DUE TO FUEL CONSIDERATIONS, DOES NOT PROCEDURALLY DICTATE THE APU BE RUNNING NORMALLY IN FLT.

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.