Narrative:

While at cruise we had a failure of our map displays. I switched to our 'arc' mode and continued flying direct to fak. I was flying the aircraft and communicating with ATC while the first officer worked our problem. I heard him mention 'ahrs' while I was talking on the radio -- before I knew or could stop him he pulled 2 circuit breakers -- B5 and F2 --in , what he thought was an attempt to 'fix' our problem. This promptly caused a failure of my pfd, which includes the attitude indicator. I had to fly using the standby attitude indicator for approximately 1 min. I was in a left bank when this self-induced problem occurred. I flew wings level and the altitude varied plus 290 ft minus 100 ft. We had no problem other than a FMS map failure. Complete navigation was still available. Normal flight was still available. Our self induced failure could have been avoided by following normal procedures, reading the correct abnormal procedures in the book, and verifying between both of us before pulling 2 circuit breakers without cause. I could have flown level if I knew what was going to be done to me and I wasn't in a turn when it happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO PULLED THE WRONG CIRCUIT BREAKERS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT A NAV DISPLAY PROB RESULTING IN LOSING THE CAPT'S ATTITUDE INDICATION.

Narrative: WHILE AT CRUISE WE HAD A FAILURE OF OUR MAP DISPLAYS. I SWITCHED TO OUR 'ARC' MODE AND CONTINUED FLYING DIRECT TO FAK. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND COMMUNICATING WITH ATC WHILE THE FO WORKED OUR PROB. I HEARD HIM MENTION 'AHRS' WHILE I WAS TALKING ON THE RADIO -- BEFORE I KNEW OR COULD STOP HIM HE PULLED 2 CIRCUIT BREAKERS -- B5 AND F2 --IN , WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO 'FIX' OUR PROB. THIS PROMPTLY CAUSED A FAILURE OF MY PFD, WHICH INCLUDES THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. I HAD TO FLY USING THE STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR FOR APPROX 1 MIN. I WAS IN A L BANK WHEN THIS SELF-INDUCED PROB OCCURRED. I FLEW WINGS LEVEL AND THE ALT VARIED PLUS 290 FT MINUS 100 FT. WE HAD NO PROB OTHER THAN A FMS MAP FAILURE. COMPLETE NAV WAS STILL AVAILABLE. NORMAL FLT WAS STILL AVAILABLE. OUR SELF INDUCED FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY FOLLOWING NORMAL PROCS, READING THE CORRECT ABNORMAL PROCS IN THE BOOK, AND VERIFYING BTWN BOTH OF US BEFORE PULLING 2 CIRCUIT BREAKERS WITHOUT CAUSE. I COULD HAVE FLOWN LEVEL IF I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO BE DONE TO ME AND I WASN'T IN A TURN WHEN IT HAPPENED.

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.