A330 flight crew has generator failure during ETOPS transatlantic flight.

Attributes
ACN	579966
Time
Date	200304
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eisn.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl single value : 38000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : eisn.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A330
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	579966
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam gen warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

At approximately XA17Z generator 1 faulted. Reset unsuccessful, APU start unsuccessful. Requested lower altitude in hopes of APU start -- not available. I declared an emergency, turned off track, and made course for london-gatwick. Once off track, I descended to FL270. APU start was then successful. It assumed its electrical load. We informed occ and ATC and canceled our emergency status. We landed at lgw without further incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A330 FLT CREW HAS GENERATOR FAILURE DURING ETOPS TRANSATLANTIC FLT.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA17Z GENERATOR 1 FAULTED. RESET UNSUCCESSFUL, APU START UNSUCCESSFUL. REQUESTED LOWER ALT IN HOPES OF APU START -- NOT AVAILABLE. I DECLARED AN EMER, TURNED OFF TRACK, AND MADE COURSE FOR LONDON-GATWICK. ONCE OFF TRACK, I DSNDED TO FL270. APU START WAS THEN SUCCESSFUL. IT ASSUMED ITS ELECTRICAL LOAD. WE INFORMED OCC AND ATC AND CANCELED OUR EMER STATUS. WE LANDED AT LGW WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.