<< >> NASA ASRS Report 718017, November 2006

Descending through FL280; MD80 on the STAR arrival to ZZZ suffers multiple electrical anomalies resulting in navigation system failures. Declare emergency and fly VFR arrival with the assistance of ATC.

Attributes
ACN	718017
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzz.artcc
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 28000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
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
Route In Use	arrival star : zzzzz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	718017
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : provided flight assist flight crew : overcame equipment problem flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

On the STAR arrival into ZZZ the lights started flickering in the cabin and cockpit for several mins. It was then followed by the lights going out; and numerous system failing. The autoplt and autothrottle disconnected; the first officer's displays went blank; the flight guidance panel became inoperative and numerous caution and warning lights were illuminated and alarms were going off. I manually flew the aircraft while the first officer ran the checklists. It soon became apparent that we would not get system restored soon and it would be near impossible to fly the altitudes and airspds required on the arrival. I declared an emergency with center and they gave us vectors to final at ZZZ. Approximately 20 mi from ZZZ; the APU was put on the right isolated bus. The remainder of the flight was uneventful and the emergency was terminated on initial contact with ZZZ tower. I would like to commend my first officer for his outstanding effort and support during the emergency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DSNDING THROUGH FL280; MD80 ON THE STAR ARR TO ZZZ SUFFERS MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL ANOMALIES RESULTING IN NAV SYS FAILURES. DECLARE EMER AND FLY VFR ARR WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF ATC.

Narrative: ON THE STAR ARR INTO ZZZ THE LIGHTS STARTED FLICKERING IN THE CABIN AND COCKPIT FOR SEVERAL MINS. IT WAS THEN FOLLOWED BY THE LIGHTS GOING OUT; AND NUMEROUS SYS FAILING. THE AUTOPLT AND AUTOTHROTTLE DISCONNECTED; THE FO'S DISPLAYS WENT BLANK; THE FLT GUIDANCE PANEL BECAME INOP AND NUMEROUS CAUTION AND WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED AND ALARMS WERE GOING OFF. I MANUALLY FLEW THE ACFT WHILE THE FO RAN THE CHKLISTS. IT SOON BECAME APPARENT THAT WE WOULD NOT GET SYS RESTORED SOON AND IT WOULD BE NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO FLY THE ALTS AND AIRSPDS REQUIRED ON THE ARR. I DECLARED AN EMER WITH CTR AND THEY GAVE US VECTORS TO FINAL AT ZZZ. APPROX 20 MI FROM ZZZ; THE APU WAS PUT ON THE R ISOLATED BUS. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE EMER WAS TERMINATED ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH ZZZ TWR. I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND MY FO FOR HIS OUTSTANDING EFFORT AND SUPPORT DURING THE EMER.

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.