Narrative:

There are 3 issues here. One is the preponderance of APU problems on the B737 fleet now (at least a third of the aircraft I fly have APU pneumatics or electrical; or the whole APU inoperative). The second issue is the ongoing problem of no external power capability at any of the gates in stl. The third issue is that stations/rampers are generally unaware that an aircraft has an APU issue either on the arrival of for the subsequent departure. We came in late to stl with an APU generator inoperative. We informed the (unaware) station of this fact on taxi in. We forgot to give them a heads up en route because we forgot that stl never has gate electrics (even though it shouldn't really be our responsibility to notify people of this). We then had to leave the left engine running at the gate while the people deplaned so they wouldn't have to do it in complete darkness. We were informed that stl has had no gate electrics for over 1 yr and every time they notify headquarters they're brushed aside. My thought during this whole event was; here we are arriving pretty late at night after flying 7+ hours. The crew is tired. The ground personnel are tired. They're used to the aircraft starting an APU at the gate. Would they notice that our engine was running instead; in the heat of their ground duties and at night? How long before someone walks too close to an engine inlet?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-500 FLT CREW UPON ARR AT STL IS CONCERNED THAT WITHOUT AN OPERATIONAL APU THE ENG HAS TO BE LEFT OPERATING AT THE GATE WHILE THE PAX DEPLANE DUE TO A LACK OF GND PWR AVAILABLE.

Narrative: THERE ARE 3 ISSUES HERE. ONE IS THE PREPONDERANCE OF APU PROBS ON THE B737 FLEET NOW (AT LEAST A THIRD OF THE ACFT I FLY HAVE APU PNEUMATICS OR ELECTRICAL; OR THE WHOLE APU INOP). THE SECOND ISSUE IS THE ONGOING PROB OF NO EXTERNAL PWR CAPABILITY AT ANY OF THE GATES IN STL. THE THIRD ISSUE IS THAT STATIONS/RAMPERS ARE GENERALLY UNAWARE THAT AN ACFT HAS AN APU ISSUE EITHER ON THE ARR OF FOR THE SUBSEQUENT DEP. WE CAME IN LATE TO STL WITH AN APU GENERATOR INOP. WE INFORMED THE (UNAWARE) STATION OF THIS FACT ON TAXI IN. WE FORGOT TO GIVE THEM A HEADS UP ENRTE BECAUSE WE FORGOT THAT STL NEVER HAS GATE ELECTRICS (EVEN THOUGH IT SHOULDN'T REALLY BE OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY PEOPLE OF THIS). WE THEN HAD TO LEAVE THE L ENG RUNNING AT THE GATE WHILE THE PEOPLE DEPLANED SO THEY WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO IT IN COMPLETE DARKNESS. WE WERE INFORMED THAT STL HAS HAD NO GATE ELECTRICS FOR OVER 1 YR AND EVERY TIME THEY NOTIFY HEADQUARTERS THEY'RE BRUSHED ASIDE. MY THOUGHT DURING THIS WHOLE EVENT WAS; HERE WE ARE ARRIVING PRETTY LATE AT NIGHT AFTER FLYING 7+ HRS. THE CREW IS TIRED. THE GND PERSONNEL ARE TIRED. THEY'RE USED TO THE ACFT STARTING AN APU AT THE GATE. WOULD THEY NOTICE THAT OUR ENG WAS RUNNING INSTEAD; IN THE HEAT OF THEIR GND DUTIES AND AT NIGHT? HOW LONG BEFORE SOMEONE WALKS TOO CLOSE TO AN ENG INLET?

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.