Narrative:

We arrived at the airport and the aircraft was closed up because it had been raining. The radar showed the entire state covered with light; moderate; and heavy rain. We experienced light rain while we were loading. The forward door was kept closed and we had absorbing pads down to soak up any moisture. During the loading; the rain started coming down moderate. We halted loading and closed the main cargo door. I mentioned to the crew that we would need a moisture check. No one answered. After we resumed loading; a hazmat can was loaded; it had water in it. One of the loaders tried to soak up the water but the so rejected the can and the contents which were also wet. The can was removed. We had checked the operations manual on that and got involved with that situation. Right before we leveled off; we had numerous electrical faults and generator control circuit breakers popping. We complied with all appropriate emergency checklists. By the time we leveled off at FL270 we had declared an emergency; requested a VFR field; and we were diverting. Center reported ZZZ 35 mi to our east VFR and that's where he directed us to go. Once we were handed off to ZZZ tower; they reported 1 3/4 mi with heavy rain and the ILS OTS. He directed us to ZZZ1 and we landed safely. I think the actions of the crew were very good. The captain requested our input; agreed with our assessment and acted properly and decisively. I think the wet hazmat and the determination of whether it was legal to take in a dry can was a distraction. Although we had been cautious and followed procedure; our electrical problem could have been contributed to the airplane's previous condition. In hindsight; I think the moisture check should be done any time it is raining and I should have reminded the crew once we finally were ready to go.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FREIGHTER SUFFERS MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL PROBS AFTER GETTING SOAKED BY RAIN DURING LOADING. EMER DIVERSION RESOLVES THE PROB.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT THE ARPT AND THE ACFT WAS CLOSED UP BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN RAINING. THE RADAR SHOWED THE ENTIRE STATE COVERED WITH LIGHT; MODERATE; AND HVY RAIN. WE EXPERIENCED LIGHT RAIN WHILE WE WERE LOADING. THE FORWARD DOOR WAS KEPT CLOSED AND WE HAD ABSORBING PADS DOWN TO SOAK UP ANY MOISTURE. DURING THE LOADING; THE RAIN STARTED COMING DOWN MODERATE. WE HALTED LOADING AND CLOSED THE MAIN CARGO DOOR. I MENTIONED TO THE CREW THAT WE WOULD NEED A MOISTURE CHK. NO ONE ANSWERED. AFTER WE RESUMED LOADING; A HAZMAT CAN WAS LOADED; IT HAD WATER IN IT. ONE OF THE LOADERS TRIED TO SOAK UP THE WATER BUT THE SO REJECTED THE CAN AND THE CONTENTS WHICH WERE ALSO WET. THE CAN WAS REMOVED. WE HAD CHKED THE OPS MANUAL ON THAT AND GOT INVOLVED WITH THAT SIT. RIGHT BEFORE WE LEVELED OFF; WE HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL FAULTS AND GENERATOR CTL CIRCUIT BREAKERS POPPING. WE COMPLIED WITH ALL APPROPRIATE EMER CHKLISTS. BY THE TIME WE LEVELED OFF AT FL270 WE HAD DECLARED AN EMER; REQUESTED A VFR FIELD; AND WE WERE DIVERTING. CTR RPTED ZZZ 35 MI TO OUR E VFR AND THAT'S WHERE HE DIRECTED US TO GO. ONCE WE WERE HANDED OFF TO ZZZ TWR; THEY RPTED 1 3/4 MI WITH HVY RAIN AND THE ILS OTS. HE DIRECTED US TO ZZZ1 AND WE LANDED SAFELY. I THINK THE ACTIONS OF THE CREW WERE VERY GOOD. THE CAPT REQUESTED OUR INPUT; AGREED WITH OUR ASSESSMENT AND ACTED PROPERLY AND DECISIVELY. I THINK THE WET HAZMAT AND THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER IT WAS LEGAL TO TAKE IN A DRY CAN WAS A DISTRACTION. ALTHOUGH WE HAD BEEN CAUTIOUS AND FOLLOWED PROC; OUR ELECTRICAL PROB COULD HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTED TO THE AIRPLANE'S PREVIOUS CONDITION. IN HINDSIGHT; I THINK THE MOISTURE CHK SHOULD BE DONE ANY TIME IT IS RAINING AND I SHOULD HAVE REMINDED THE CREW ONCE WE FINALLY WERE READY TO GO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.