An airbus 319 in cruise at FL350 declared an emergency and diverted due to loss of #1 bus and essent...

Attributes
ACN	587593
Time
Date	200307
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
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 : 120 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	587593
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : ecam warning other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : declared emergency
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

At cruise FL350, I (captain) was talking to 'B' flight attendant on interphone when it cut off. Simultaneously, I noticed all 6 crts were blank. First officer flying on standby instruments. Screens eventually came back on, one at a time (completely blank approximately 30 seconds). Multiple electrical failures: gen 1, AC ess bus 1, AC bus 1, vent extract, northwest steering. Multiple secondary failures. Numerous system items inoperative. Flight attendant's reported an electrical smell. Declared emergency, diverted to ZZZ. Stopped on runway and towed to gate. APU and external power would not supply left side of electrical system. Maintenance replaced several components of the electrical systems, suspecting a loose bus tie contactor. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the six CRT instruments were blank for about 30 seconds and then recovered. The reporter said the entire #1 AC bus was lost including essential AC which did not switch in normally through the essential automatic feed. The reporter stated the APU would not power #1 bus. The reporter said the #1 generator contactor was found failed with welded contacts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 IN CRUISE AT FL350 DECLARED AN EMER AND DIVERTED DUE TO LOSS OF #1 BUS AND ESSENTIAL BUS #1. CAUSED BY WELDED CONTACTS ON #1 GENERATOR CONTACTOR.

Narrative: AT CRUISE FL350, I (CAPT) WAS TALKING TO 'B' FA ON INTERPHONE WHEN IT CUT OFF. SIMULTANEOUSLY, I NOTICED ALL 6 CRTS WERE BLANK. FO FLYING ON STANDBY INSTRUMENTS. SCREENS EVENTUALLY CAME BACK ON, ONE AT A TIME (COMPLETELY BLANK APPROX 30 SECS). MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL FAILURES: GEN 1, AC ESS BUS 1, AC BUS 1, VENT EXTRACT, NW STEERING. MULTIPLE SECONDARY FAILURES. NUMEROUS SYSTEM ITEMS INOP. FA'S RPTED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. DECLARED EMER, DIVERTED TO ZZZ. STOPPED ON RWY AND TOWED TO GATE. APU AND EXTERNAL POWER WOULD NOT SUPPLY LEFT SIDE OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. MAINT REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS, SUSPECTING A LOOSE BUS TIE CONTACTOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SIX CRT INSTRUMENTS WERE BLANK FOR ABOUT 30 SECS AND THEN RECOVERED. THE RPTR SAID THE ENTIRE #1 AC BUS WAS LOST INCLUDING ESSENTIAL AC WHICH DID NOT SWITCH IN NORMALLY THROUGH THE ESSENTIAL AUTO FEED. THE RPTR STATED THE APU WOULD NOT POWER #1 BUS. THE RPTR SAID THE #1 GENERATOR CONTACTOR WAS FOUND FAILED WITH WELDED CONTACTS.

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.

An airbus 319 in cruise at FL350 declared an emergency and diverted due to loss of #1 bus and essential bus #1. Caused by welded contacts on #1 generator contactor.