MD80 flight attendant reports total electrical failure at night.

Attributes
ACN	708674
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
ASRS Report	708674
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On aug/xa/06 we were on our way to mci; unable to land at ZZZ1 due to thunderstorms we were diverted to ZZZ. After a big jolt all cabin lights went out; the emergency lights did not come on. No PA; no lights; and no communications with cockpit. Lights out problem lasted 15-20 very long mins. This was nighttime; by the way. Lights finally came on and we landed in ZZZ with all emergency (ground) all around us. We did not realize until we were at the gate that we had been in real trouble. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the jolt was not caused by lightning; but whatever it was seemed to cause the power failure. The reporter learned after the fact from the first officer that a generator had failed and the good generator failed to pick up the load. The APU was started and it too failed to pick up the load. The flight deck crew had to use flashlights to read checklists which ultimately resulted in power being restored.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT ATTENDANT RPTS TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ON AUG/XA/06 WE WERE ON OUR WAY TO MCI; UNABLE TO LAND AT ZZZ1 DUE TO TSTMS WE WERE DIVERTED TO ZZZ. AFTER A BIG JOLT ALL CABIN LIGHTS WENT OUT; THE EMER LIGHTS DID NOT COME ON. NO PA; NO LIGHTS; AND NO COMS WITH COCKPIT. LIGHTS OUT PROB LASTED 15-20 VERY LONG MINS. THIS WAS NIGHTTIME; BY THE WAY. LIGHTS FINALLY CAME ON AND WE LANDED IN ZZZ WITH ALL EMER (GND) ALL AROUND US. WE DID NOT REALIZE UNTIL WE WERE AT THE GATE THAT WE HAD BEEN IN REAL TROUBLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE JOLT WAS NOT CAUSED BY LIGHTNING; BUT WHATEVER IT WAS SEEMED TO CAUSE THE PWR FAILURE. THE RPTR LEARNED AFTER THE FACT FROM THE FO THAT A GENERATOR HAD FAILED AND THE GOOD GENERATOR FAILED TO PICK UP THE LOAD. THE APU WAS STARTED AND IT TOO FAILED TO PICK UP THE LOAD. THE FLT DECK CREW HAD TO USE FLASHLIGHTS TO READ CHKLISTS WHICH ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN PWR BEING RESTORED.

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.