Air carrier medium large transport aircraft lost all electrical generator power during climb out in IMC conditions and the flight crew declared an emergency.

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Attributes
ACN	235760
Time
Date	199303
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : con
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : zbw
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 14600 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	235760
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

#1 generator MEL inoperative, used APU generator to backup alternating current busses with #2 generator operational. On climb out pwm at 14000 ft, #2 generator tripped off, could not reset, therefore down to APU supplying electrical power. Shortly APU flamed out, now we were down to battery power. First officer was running checklist and trying to restart APU. I called ZBW and requested 16000 ft as final altitude. Asked for WX at bos, mht and btv, bos and mht were no good, btv was VFR. Declared an emergency with bos and asked for vector to btv. First officer got APU running again and restored electrical power. We then terminated emergency with bos and were reclred to ewr. Landing was uneventful. Maintenance found #2 generator control unit inoperative. Potentially, a bad situation on alternating current battery power, with WX bad on east coast and only VFR field btv with a 7000 ft runway. With aircraft on emergency power, at best, you have only 45 mins of electrical power remaining.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG ACFT LOST ALL ELECTRICAL GENERATOR PWR DURING CLBOUT IN IMC CONDITIONS AND THE FLC DECLARED AN EMER.

Narrative: #1 GENERATOR MEL INOP, USED APU GENERATOR TO BACKUP ALTERNATING CURRENT BUSSES WITH #2 GENERATOR OPERATIONAL. ON CLBOUT PWM AT 14000 FT, #2 GENERATOR TRIPPED OFF, COULD NOT RESET, THEREFORE DOWN TO APU SUPPLYING ELECTRICAL PWR. SHORTLY APU FLAMED OUT, NOW WE WERE DOWN TO BATTERY PWR. FO WAS RUNNING CHKLIST AND TRYING TO RESTART APU. I CALLED ZBW AND REQUESTED 16000 FT AS FINAL ALT. ASKED FOR WX AT BOS, MHT AND BTV, BOS AND MHT WERE NO GOOD, BTV WAS VFR. DECLARED AN EMER WITH BOS AND ASKED FOR VECTOR TO BTV. FO GOT APU RUNNING AGAIN AND RESTORED ELECTRICAL PWR. WE THEN TERMINATED EMER WITH BOS AND WERE RECLRED TO EWR. LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. MAINT FOUND #2 GENERATOR CTL UNIT INOP. POTENTIALLY, A BAD SIT ON ALTERNATING CURRENT BATTERY PWR, WITH WX BAD ON E COAST AND ONLY VFR FIELD BTV WITH A 7000 FT RWY. WITH ACFT ON EMER PWR, AT BEST, YOU HAVE ONLY 45 MINS OF ELECTRICAL PWR REMAINING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.