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Electrical system anomalies and visible 'sparks' from one engine convince Q400 captain to divert to a nearby airport. Captain questions whether an official emergency was declared.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 814417 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200812 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Q400 NextGen |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| ASRS Report | 814417 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| Qualification | flight attendant : currently qualified |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other other : 2 |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
While beginning our descent into ZZZ our #1 dc generator failed. This was followed by an associated #1 dc generator hot caution light. My pfd went blank for a few mins. I gave control of the aircraft to my first officer; as his displays were operating normally. We received a PA from one of the flight attendants advising us that sparks were seen coming from the left engine. I chose to deviate to ZZZ1. I told ATC that we had an emergency situation and made our request to land at ZZZ1 followed by a request to have the airports emergency equipment available to us. We ran through all the required checklists; including a passenger announcement before landing. We landed safely. I have a concern with the following: when filling out my report I chose not to check the box for declaring an emergency. I did advise ATC that we had an emergency and was given assistance to ZZZ1. However; the phrase 'I am declaring an emergency' was not given nor was it offered by ATC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ANOMALIES AND VISIBLE 'SPARKS' FROM ONE ENGINE CONVINCE Q400 CAPTAIN TO DIVERT TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. CAPTAIN QUESTIONS WHETHER AN OFFICIAL EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED.
Narrative: WHILE BEGINNING OUR DSCNT INTO ZZZ OUR #1 DC GENERATOR FAILED. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ASSOCIATED #1 DC GENERATOR HOT CAUTION LIGHT. MY PFD WENT BLANK FOR A FEW MINS. I GAVE CTL OF THE ACFT TO MY FO; AS HIS DISPLAYS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY. WE RECEIVED A PA FROM ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS ADVISING US THAT SPARKS WERE SEEN COMING FROM THE L ENG. I CHOSE TO DEVIATE TO ZZZ1. I TOLD ATC THAT WE HAD AN EMER SITUATION AND MADE OUR REQUEST TO LAND AT ZZZ1 FOLLOWED BY A REQUEST TO HAVE THE ARPTS EMER EQUIP AVAILABLE TO US. WE RAN THROUGH ALL THE REQUIRED CHKLISTS; INCLUDING A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT BEFORE LNDG. WE LANDED SAFELY. I HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE FOLLOWING: WHEN FILLING OUT MY RPT I CHOSE NOT TO CHK THE BOX FOR DECLARING AN EMER. I DID ADVISE ATC THAT WE HAD AN EMER AND WAS GIVEN ASSISTANCE TO ZZZ1. HOWEVER; THE PHRASE 'I AM DECLARING AN EMER' WAS NOT GIVEN NOR WAS IT OFFERED BY ATC.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.