A CL65 PIC attempts to charge the batteries for his aircraft's emergency lighting at mdt, PA.

Attributes
ACN	440936
Time
Date	199906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mdt.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : uhhh.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Challenger CL604
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	440936
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe maintenance problem : non compliance with mel non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : cab 3
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The crew arrived at the aircraft at XA35 and we started to preflight the aircraft for an XB15 departure. During preflight I asked the flight attendant to check the emergency light and I turned to switch on and continued the preflight checklist. Several mins went by and I called the flight attendant and asked if the lights were ok. Said they were not lit. We found the flight attendant's emergency light switch in the 'on' position. The batteries for the emergency lights were dead. I called maintenance through atlanta radio. They said we would probably have to ferry the aircraft home. We then talked about charging the batteries. We talked about switch position and how to tell if the batteries were charged up. We charged the batteries for 30-45 mins, then tested them for a few mins. They seemed to be charged. We returned to cvg with passenger. We tested the lights after the passenger got off the aircraft in cvg again. The flight attendant reported that they looked normal. We flew 2 more legs. Maintenance reported later that the batteries were not charged enough.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CL65 PIC ATTEMPTS TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES FOR HIS ACFT'S EMER LIGHTING AT MDT, PA.

Narrative: THE CREW ARRIVED AT THE ACFT AT XA35 AND WE STARTED TO PREFLT THE ACFT FOR AN XB15 DEP. DURING PREFLT I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO CHK THE EMER LIGHT AND I TURNED TO SWITCH ON AND CONTINUED THE PREFLT CHKLIST. SEVERAL MINS WENT BY AND I CALLED THE FLT ATTENDANT AND ASKED IF THE LIGHTS WERE OK. SAID THEY WERE NOT LIT. WE FOUND THE FLT ATTENDANT'S EMER LIGHT SWITCH IN THE 'ON' POS. THE BATTERIES FOR THE EMER LIGHTS WERE DEAD. I CALLED MAINT THROUGH ATLANTA RADIO. THEY SAID WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO FERRY THE ACFT HOME. WE THEN TALKED ABOUT CHARGING THE BATTERIES. WE TALKED ABOUT SWITCH POS AND HOW TO TELL IF THE BATTERIES WERE CHARGED UP. WE CHARGED THE BATTERIES FOR 30-45 MINS, THEN TESTED THEM FOR A FEW MINS. THEY SEEMED TO BE CHARGED. WE RETURNED TO CVG WITH PAX. WE TESTED THE LIGHTS AFTER THE PAX GOT OFF THE ACFT IN CVG AGAIN. THE FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT THEY LOOKED NORMAL. WE FLEW 2 MORE LEGS. MAINT RPTED LATER THAT THE BATTERIES WERE NOT CHARGED ENOUGH.

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.