Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff in IMC the right generator failed at about 500 ft afl, followed immediately by the second generator failing. Both failed below 1500 ft afl. We were in IMC and icing conditions. Fortunately I had elected to takeoff with the APU running, which picked up the electrical load. The double generator failure procedure in the QRH did not restore either generator. So, it said land at the nearest suitable airport, and avoid IMC. I checked with dispatch to see if there was a close airport that was VMC. ZZZ had a 15000 foot ceiling and good visibility below the clouds, the only other choices were tul and okc, which weren't really near. So, ZZZ was the logical choice. We descended below the clouds, dropped gear and flew around with gear, slats and speed brakes until we were down to maximum landing weight. That took only about 20 mins. Landed in ZZZ uneventfully. We sure were glad to have the APU running when the second generator quit. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the right generator had some maintenance history, but the left generator had no previous write-ups. The reporter said because of right generator maintenance history and being IMC icing with conditions, it was decided to operate the APU during the takeoff and it proved to be a good decision. The reporter stated the QRH procedures to restore engine driven generators was attempted with no results. The reporter said an emergency was declared and a diversion was made. The reporter stated maintenance replaced the left and right generator control panels and it restored the left generator, but the right generator remained inoperative. The reporter said the right generator and the generator relay was replaced and this corrected the problem. The reporter stated the right generator system had a generator control panel replaced on the overnight prior to this trip departure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON TKOF CLB AT 500 FT DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF R AND L ENG DRIVEN GENERATORS.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF IN IMC THE R GENERATOR FAILED AT ABOUT 500 FT AFL, FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY THE SECOND GENERATOR FAILING. BOTH FAILED BELOW 1500 FT AFL. WE WERE IN IMC AND ICING CONDITIONS. FORTUNATELY I HAD ELECTED TO TKOF WITH THE APU RUNNING, WHICH PICKED UP THE ELECTRICAL LOAD. THE DOUBLE GENERATOR FAILURE PROC IN THE QRH DID NOT RESTORE EITHER GENERATOR. SO, IT SAID LAND AT THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT, AND AVOID IMC. I CHECKED WITH DISPATCH TO SEE IF THERE WAS A CLOSE ARPT THAT WAS VMC. ZZZ HAD A 15000 FOOT CEILING AND GOOD VIS BELOW THE CLOUDS, THE ONLY OTHER CHOICES WERE TUL AND OKC, WHICH WEREN'T REALLY NEAR. SO, ZZZ WAS THE LOGICAL CHOICE. WE DESCENDED BELOW THE CLOUDS, DROPPED GEAR AND FLEW AROUND WITH GEAR, SLATS AND SPEED BRAKES UNTIL WE WERE DOWN TO MAX LNDG WT. THAT TOOK ONLY ABOUT 20 MINS. LANDED IN ZZZ UNEVENTFULLY. WE SURE WERE GLAD TO HAVE THE APU RUNNING WHEN THE SECOND GENERATOR QUIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE R GENERATOR HAD SOME MAINT HISTORY, BUT THE L GENERATOR HAD NO PREVIOUS WRITE-UPS. THE RPTR SAID BECAUSE OF R GENERATOR MAINT HISTORY AND BEING IMC ICING WITH CONDITIONS, IT WAS DECIDED TO OPERATE THE APU DURING THE TKOF AND IT PROVED TO BE A GOOD DECISION. THE RPTR STATED THE QRH PROCEDURES TO RESTORE ENG DRIVEN GENERATORS WAS ATTEMPTED WITH NO RESULTS. THE RPTR SAID AN EMER WAS DECLARED AND A DIVERSION WAS MADE. THE RPTR STATED MAINT REPLACED THE L AND R GENERATOR CTL PANELS AND IT RESTORED THE L GENERATOR, BUT THE R GENERATOR REMAINED INOP. THE RPTR SAID THE R GENERATOR AND THE GENERATOR RELAY WAS REPLACED AND THIS CORRECTED THE PROB. THE RPTR STATED THE R GENERATOR SYS HAD A GENERATOR CTL PANEL REPLACED ON THE OVERNIGHT PRIOR TO THIS TRIP DEP.

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.