Aircraft equipment problem right generator 'drive' light not illuminated when engine stopped. Mechan...

Attributes
ACN	336272
Time
Date	199605
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 15500 flight time type : 1800
ASRS Report	336272
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Discovered EICAS computer failed at gate, maintenance came out and suggested killing power to aircraft to try and reset EICAS computer. Before maintenance killed power, they positioned emergency light switch to 'off.' when power was reapplied, the lower EICAS screen worked but not upper, but the right engine generator 'drive' light was not illuminated. The maintenance crew again depwred aircraft (with emergency light switch placed to off) and relamped the switch. When aircraft was repwred the EICAS problem was corrected, but drive light was still not on. Maintenance then depwred aircraft and tried new generator control panel. When it didn't help with the drive light problem, they put the original panel back in and the drive light worked normally. I ran right engine to make sure the generator would work normally. It did, so maintenance signed off my EICAS problem. Maintenance said I didn't need to put generator drive light in the book so I didn't. In retrospect, I think in the future I would leave the emergency exit lights armed when on ground if passenger were on board. My thinking was it was daylight and I knew I could go to 'on' if necessary with emergency lights. I didn't want to drain the emergency light battery packs. I also should probably have insisted that maintenance put generator problem in book.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT EQUIP PROB R GENERATOR 'DRIVE' LIGHT NOT ILLUMINATED WHEN ENG STOPPED. MECHS RESET PWR, CHANGED GENERATOR CTL PANEL AND THEN CHANGED BACK TO ORIGINAL PANEL TO GET LIGHT TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. RPTR SAYS THE GENERATOR PROB SHOULD HAVE BEEN LOGGED IN THE LOGBOOK.

Narrative: DISCOVERED EICAS COMPUTER FAILED AT GATE, MAINT CAME OUT AND SUGGESTED KILLING PWR TO ACFT TO TRY AND RESET EICAS COMPUTER. BEFORE MAINT KILLED PWR, THEY POSITIONED EMER LIGHT SWITCH TO 'OFF.' WHEN PWR WAS REAPPLIED, THE LOWER EICAS SCREEN WORKED BUT NOT UPPER, BUT THE R ENG GENERATOR 'DRIVE' LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED. THE MAINT CREW AGAIN DEPWRED ACFT (WITH EMER LIGHT SWITCH PLACED TO OFF) AND RELAMPED THE SWITCH. WHEN ACFT WAS REPWRED THE EICAS PROB WAS CORRECTED, BUT DRIVE LIGHT WAS STILL NOT ON. MAINT THEN DEPWRED ACFT AND TRIED NEW GENERATOR CTL PANEL. WHEN IT DIDN'T HELP WITH THE DRIVE LIGHT PROB, THEY PUT THE ORIGINAL PANEL BACK IN AND THE DRIVE LIGHT WORKED NORMALLY. I RAN R ENG TO MAKE SURE THE GENERATOR WOULD WORK NORMALLY. IT DID, SO MAINT SIGNED OFF MY EICAS PROB. MAINT SAID I DIDN'T NEED TO PUT GENERATOR DRIVE LIGHT IN THE BOOK SO I DIDN'T. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK IN THE FUTURE I WOULD LEAVE THE EMER EXIT LIGHTS ARMED WHEN ON GND IF PAX WERE ON BOARD. MY THINKING WAS IT WAS DAYLIGHT AND I KNEW I COULD GO TO 'ON' IF NECESSARY WITH EMER LIGHTS. I DIDN'T WANT TO DRAIN THE EMER LIGHT BATTERY PACKS. I ALSO SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE INSISTED THAT MAINT PUT GENERATOR PROB IN BOOK.

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.

Aircraft equipment problem right generator 'drive' light not illuminated when engine stopped. Mechanics reset power, changed generator control panel and then changed back to original panel to get light to function properly. Reporter says the generator problem should have been logged in the logbook.