A dc-8F in cruise at FL330 had a generator drop off line disconnecting the autoplt with no visual or...

Attributes
ACN	422826
Time
Date	199812
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gck
State Reference	KS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 32600 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-8F
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 136 flight time total : 6400 flight time type : 3110
ASRS Report	422826
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At cruise we had a generator fall off line which in turn disconnected the autoplt. We did not get the warning horn or the lights (ie, master warning and autoplt off). I then was discussing with the flight engineer what happened to the generator when I heard the altitude warning horn. (Was not looking forward.) we were then descending through FL327. Before I could arrest the sink rate, we were 400 ft low. I flew back to altitude, then ATC called and asked what altitude we were at. We said, leveling back at FL330. He said he showed us at FL330 again, but we had been 400 ft low. We explained we had a problem and asked if there had been a conflict with any traffic. He (ATC) said no problem. Reason for situation: all crew members looking at electrical panel, nobody flying the plane. Fixes: pay attention to first job at hand -- ie, flying the plane. Second, we do not know what caused the generator to kick off line, but it did not do it again. But when we got to destination we did write up the autoplt disconnect horn and light. It would test good on ground, but did not work in-flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC-8F IN CRUISE AT FL330 HAD A GENERATOR DROP OFF LINE DISCONNECTING THE AUTOPLT WITH NO VISUAL OR AURAL WARNING. ACFT DEVIATED 400 FT FROM ASSIGNED ALT DURING INCIDENT.

Narrative: AT CRUISE WE HAD A GENERATOR FALL OFF LINE WHICH IN TURN DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT. WE DID NOT GET THE WARNING HORN OR THE LIGHTS (IE, MASTER WARNING AND AUTOPLT OFF). I THEN WAS DISCUSSING WITH THE FE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GENERATOR WHEN I HEARD THE ALT WARNING HORN. (WAS NOT LOOKING FORWARD.) WE WERE THEN DSNDING THROUGH FL327. BEFORE I COULD ARREST THE SINK RATE, WE WERE 400 FT LOW. I FLEW BACK TO ALT, THEN ATC CALLED AND ASKED WHAT ALT WE WERE AT. WE SAID, LEVELING BACK AT FL330. HE SAID HE SHOWED US AT FL330 AGAIN, BUT WE HAD BEEN 400 FT LOW. WE EXPLAINED WE HAD A PROB AND ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN A CONFLICT WITH ANY TFC. HE (ATC) SAID NO PROB. REASON FOR SIT: ALL CREW MEMBERS LOOKING AT ELECTRICAL PANEL, NOBODY FLYING THE PLANE. FIXES: PAY ATTN TO FIRST JOB AT HAND -- IE, FLYING THE PLANE. SECOND, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE GENERATOR TO KICK OFF LINE, BUT IT DID NOT DO IT AGAIN. BUT WHEN WE GOT TO DEST WE DID WRITE UP THE AUTOPLT DISCONNECT HORN AND LIGHT. IT WOULD TEST GOOD ON GND, BUT DID NOT WORK INFLT.

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.

A dc-8F in cruise at FL330 had a generator drop off line disconnecting the autoplt with no visual or aural warning. Aircraft deviated 400 ft from assigned altitude during incident.