Widebody transport crew was told by ATC that they saw sparks coming from the aircraft after takeoff....

Attributes
ACN	603624
Time
Date	200312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mht.airport
State Reference	NH
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mht.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff descent : approach ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	603624
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : landed in emergency condition other
Consequence	other other
Factors
Maintenance	contributing factor : schedule pressure performance deficiency : logbook entry performance deficiency : non compliance with legal requirements
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

This aircraft had TCASII failure and fuel system malfunctions which were accounted for on the aircraft alert synoptic and maintenance logs. Air carrier X departed mht runway 35. On climb out, tower reported 3 or 4 sparks observed from belly gear or starboard engine area while aircraft was at 300-500 ft passing midfield. Emergency declared and returned to mht. Crash fire rescue equipment and company maintenance inspections found no known source of sparks. While aircraft taxied clear of active runway, APU was started and engines shut down for crash fire rescue equipment detection. 'APU generator failure' alert appeared (possible rotating diode and/or bearing failure. Load limit 0.35), although it handled the electrical load. During the postflt maintenance inspections, the 'APU generator failure' alert was overlooked by aircraft maintenance and flight crew. It was not until subsequent climb out that this captain fully realized the 'APU generator failure' alert had not been dealt with. It had been lost in the tumult of events and inspections required by our actions dealing with a possible aircraft fire. Never again! I vow to re-double my efforts to stay focused on my aircraft operation priorities before, during, and after aircraft operations.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WDB CREW WAS TOLD BY ATC THAT THEY SAW SPARKS COMING FROM THE ACFT AFTER TKOF. DURING THE CONFUSION OF RETURNING TO THE ARPT, FLT CREW OVERLOOKED AN APU GENERATOR FAIL ALERT.

Narrative: THIS ACFT HAD TCASII FAILURE AND FUEL SYS MALFUNCTIONS WHICH WERE ACCOUNTED FOR ON THE ACFT ALERT SYNOPTIC AND MAINT LOGS. ACR X DEPARTED MHT RWY 35. ON CLBOUT, TWR RPTED 3 OR 4 SPARKS OBSERVED FROM BELLY GEAR OR STARBOARD ENG AREA WHILE ACFT WAS AT 300-500 FT PASSING MIDFIELD. EMER DECLARED AND RETURNED TO MHT. CFR AND COMPANY MAINT INSPECTIONS FOUND NO KNOWN SOURCE OF SPARKS. WHILE ACFT TAXIED CLR OF ACTIVE RWY, APU WAS STARTED AND ENGS SHUT DOWN FOR CFR DETECTION. 'APU GENERATOR FAILURE' ALERT APPEARED (POSSIBLE ROTATING DIODE AND/OR BEARING FAILURE. LOAD LIMIT 0.35), ALTHOUGH IT HANDLED THE ELECTRICAL LOAD. DURING THE POSTFLT MAINT INSPECTIONS, THE 'APU GENERATOR FAILURE' ALERT WAS OVERLOOKED BY ACFT MAINT AND FLT CREW. IT WAS NOT UNTIL SUBSEQUENT CLBOUT THAT THIS CAPT FULLY REALIZED THE 'APU GENERATOR FAILURE' ALERT HAD NOT BEEN DEALT WITH. IT HAD BEEN LOST IN THE TUMULT OF EVENTS AND INSPECTIONS REQUIRED BY OUR ACTIONS DEALING WITH A POSSIBLE ACFT FIRE. NEVER AGAIN! I VOW TO RE-DOUBLE MY EFFORTS TO STAY FOCUSED ON MY ACFT OP PRIORITIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER ACFT OPS.

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.

Widebody transport crew was told by ATC that they saw sparks coming from the aircraft after takeoff. During the confusion of returning to the airport, flight crew overlooked an APU generator fail alert.