An MD88 in cruise at FL310 had both AC generators drop off the line with the AC xtie locked out. Res...

Attributes
ACN	403040
Time
Date	199805
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vxv
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
ASRS Report	403040
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 : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

It was a little after XA00, just about 20 mi south of knoxville, tn, when both generators drop off line. Electrical failure (complete) checklist was completed. Both generators reset and power were restored. AC xtie remained locked out after AC xtie switch was placed back to automatic. I waited for ZTL to call about our transponder to conserve battery power during the event. ATC called about 1 1/2 mins after we lost both generators to ask us to reset our transponder. ZTL called just as we were resetting the generators and power was being restored. When I answered ZTL, I told the controller that we were having an electrical problem and to please stand by. Within 1 min, ZTL announced that he had our transponder at FL310. I told ATC that everything was ok. The whole event was no longer than 4 mins. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the aircraft was an MD88 and the cause of the 2 generator trip was not passed on by maintenance to the reporter. The reporter said after the generators were reset the xtie relay remained locked out and would not reset. The reporter stated the generators remained on line and operated normally the rest of the trip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD88 IN CRUISE AT FL310 HAD BOTH AC GENERATORS DROP OFF THE LINE WITH THE AC XTIE LOCKED OUT. RESET GENERATORS AND RESTORED PWR BUT XTIE RELAY REMAINED LOCKED OUT.

Narrative: IT WAS A LITTLE AFTER XA00, JUST ABOUT 20 MI S OF KNOXVILLE, TN, WHEN BOTH GENERATORS DROP OFF LINE. ELECTRICAL FAILURE (COMPLETE) CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. BOTH GENERATORS RESET AND PWR WERE RESTORED. AC XTIE REMAINED LOCKED OUT AFTER AC XTIE SWITCH WAS PLACED BACK TO AUTO. I WAITED FOR ZTL TO CALL ABOUT OUR XPONDER TO CONSERVE BATTERY PWR DURING THE EVENT. ATC CALLED ABOUT 1 1/2 MINS AFTER WE LOST BOTH GENERATORS TO ASK US TO RESET OUR XPONDER. ZTL CALLED JUST AS WE WERE RESETTING THE GENERATORS AND PWR WAS BEING RESTORED. WHEN I ANSWERED ZTL, I TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE WERE HAVING AN ELECTRICAL PROB AND TO PLEASE STAND BY. WITHIN 1 MIN, ZTL ANNOUNCED THAT HE HAD OUR XPONDER AT FL310. I TOLD ATC THAT EVERYTHING WAS OK. THE WHOLE EVENT WAS NO LONGER THAN 4 MINS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE ACFT WAS AN MD88 AND THE CAUSE OF THE 2 GENERATOR TRIP WAS NOT PASSED ON BY MAINT TO THE RPTR. THE RPTR SAID AFTER THE GENERATORS WERE RESET THE XTIE RELAY REMAINED LOCKED OUT AND WOULD NOT RESET. THE RPTR STATED THE GENERATORS REMAINED ON LINE AND OPERATED NORMALLY THE REST OF THE TRIP.

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.

An MD88 in cruise at FL310 had both AC generators drop off the line with the AC xtie locked out. Reset generators and restored power but xtie relay remained locked out.