A CRJ700 APU was shutdown after the second engine start before takeoff and the aircraft lost electri...

Attributes
ACN	980226
Time
Date	201111
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	Switch
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150 Flight Crew Total 20000 Flight Crew Type 11000
Person 2
Function	Pilot Not Flying First Officer
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

The crew and I picked up this aircraft from another crew and was the first flight we had done in it. We watched the crew get off the aircraft and no one else got on it before we did. After single engine taxi to runway 31L the first officer started engine #2 and shut down the APU. At that time the aircraft went dark with apparently only battery power. I then checked the gen switches and found both were in the off position. I then turned both switches on and normal electrical power was established. The first officer and I then re-did all checklists; confirmed routing in the FMS; reset V speeds and all performance data and then continued with taxi for a normal takeoff. The first officer did explain to the passengers and the flight attendants that there was an electrical issue but it had been cleared up. From now on I will double check all switches on the electrical panel when I take an aircraft from another crew. I guess I got used to the switches being left in the proper position by the departing crew. The acceptance checklist does not call for checking electrical panel but I will do so in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ700 APU was shutdown after the second engine start before takeoff and the aircraft lost electrical power because the previous crew had selected the engine generators OFF; a non standard procedure.

Narrative: The crew and I picked up this aircraft from another crew and was the first flight we had done in it. We watched the crew get off the aircraft and no one else got on it before we did. After single engine taxi to Runway 31L the First Officer started engine #2 and shut down the APU. At that time the aircraft went dark with apparently only battery power. I then checked the GEN Switches and found both were in the off position. I then turned both switches on and normal electrical power was established. The First Officer and I then re-did all checklists; confirmed routing in the FMS; reset V speeds and all performance data and then continued with taxi for a normal takeoff. The First Officer did explain to the passengers and the Flight Attendants that there was an electrical issue but it had been cleared up. From now on I will double check all switches on the electrical panel when I take an aircraft from another crew. I guess I got used to the switches being left in the proper position by the departing crew. The Acceptance checklist does not call for checking Electrical Panel but I will do so in the future.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

A CRJ700 APU was shutdown after the second engine start before takeoff and the aircraft lost electrical power because the previous crew had selected the engine generators off; a non standard procedure.