An airbus 320 in cruise at FL350 had flashing ceiling lights, call lights, no smoking and seat belt ...

Attributes
ACN	623391
Time
Date	200407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
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 : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	623391
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : flashing cabin lighting other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	aircraft : equipment problem dissipated none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

About 1 hour and 20 mins into flight we could hear the cabin chimes sounding continuously. The flight attendants called the flight deck and advised that the ceiling lights were flashing on/off continuously. The flight attendant call lights and chime were going continuously. The no smoking and seat belt signs were flashing. Interphone communications and PA were also affected. Contacted maintenance and 'dd.' maintenance suggested 2 sets of circuit breakers to cycle. After cycling the circuit breakers the cabin lights stabilized on full-bright with no ability to control. The cabin signs (no smoking and seat belt) failed 'off.' the flight attendant call lights remained 'off.' the PA and interphone failed completely. Very difficult to communicate with cabin crew and passenger with this situation. Due to some WX in ZZZ area, had to get up to pass notes under door. Flight attendants thought to block cockpit access and blocked forward lavatory. Between his being armed and the door blocked I opened the door twice to communicate with the flight attendants. On arrival at ZZZ ramp told us 'no gate, go to the box.' we had no known ability to pass this information to the cabin crew or passenger. Just after this the flight attendants called and said all system returned to normal on final approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 320 IN CRUISE AT FL350 HAD FLASHING CEILING LIGHTS, CALL LIGHTS, NO SMOKING AND SEAT BELT SIGNS ALSO FLASHING, WITH PA AND INTERPHONE INOP.

Narrative: ABOUT 1 HR AND 20 MINS INTO FLT WE COULD HEAR THE CABIN CHIMES SOUNDING CONTINUOUSLY. THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED THE FLT DECK AND ADVISED THAT THE CEILING LIGHTS WERE FLASHING ON/OFF CONTINUOUSLY. THE FLT ATTENDANT CALL LIGHTS AND CHIME WERE GOING CONTINUOUSLY. THE NO SMOKING AND SEAT BELT SIGNS WERE FLASHING. INTERPHONE COMS AND PA WERE ALSO AFFECTED. CONTACTED MAINT AND 'DD.' MAINT SUGGESTED 2 SETS OF CIRCUIT BREAKERS TO CYCLE. AFTER CYCLING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS THE CABIN LIGHTS STABILIZED ON FULL-BRIGHT WITH NO ABILITY TO CTL. THE CABIN SIGNS (NO SMOKING AND SEAT BELT) FAILED 'OFF.' THE FLT ATTENDANT CALL LIGHTS REMAINED 'OFF.' THE PA AND INTERPHONE FAILED COMPLETELY. VERY DIFFICULT TO COMMUNICATE WITH CABIN CREW AND PAX WITH THIS SIT. DUE TO SOME WX IN ZZZ AREA, HAD TO GET UP TO PASS NOTES UNDER DOOR. FLT ATTENDANTS THOUGHT TO BLOCK COCKPIT ACCESS AND BLOCKED FORWARD LAVATORY. BTWN HIS BEING ARMED AND THE DOOR BLOCKED I OPENED THE DOOR TWICE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS. ON ARR AT ZZZ RAMP TOLD US 'NO GATE, GO TO THE BOX.' WE HAD NO KNOWN ABILITY TO PASS THIS INFO TO THE CABIN CREW OR PAX. JUST AFTER THIS THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED AND SAID ALL SYS RETURNED TO NORMAL ON FINAL APCH.

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 320 in cruise at FL350 had flashing ceiling lights, call lights, no smoking and seat belt signs also flashing, with PA and interphone inoperative.