Narrative:

After landing on runway 16L we were cleared onto taxiway B. While taxiing north on taxiway B and north of taxiway left; I asked the first officer to set up for single-engine taxi. This was done per SOP. After 3 mins; the #2 engine was shut down. Operations had asked for the APU to be started. Before starting the APU; the first officer reached up to select the APU generator switch off and inadvertently pushed the generator #1 switch killing main electrics to the aircraft. By this time; the aircraft was drifting to the right. I asked the first officer to put generator #1 back on line. She pushed the switch but it did not take. At this point; I also had a fair amount of left nosewheel steering input. I reached up and pushed the generator #1 switch on; electrics were restored; and the aircraft swerved to the left. I controled the aircraft with the nosewheel steering to get it back to the taxiway centerline and we hit a taxiway light as we stabilized back to the centerline. The aircraft at no time left the pavement. We then taxied to the gate without incident; sent a maintenance report; contacted maintenance control and did a visual inspection of the gear. We found no apparent damage to the gear. Human factors: it was the end of the day. In addition; sometimes airbus switches can be difficult to turn on and off. Since the APU generator switch is located right next to the generator #1 switch; it can be inadvertently switched off.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 STRIKES TXWY LIGHT AFTER SHUTTING DOWN R ENG AND INADVERTENTLY OPENING THE L GENERATOR.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG ON RWY 16L WE WERE CLRED ONTO TXWY B. WHILE TAXIING N ON TXWY B AND N OF TXWY L; I ASKED THE FO TO SET UP FOR SINGLE-ENG TAXI. THIS WAS DONE PER SOP. AFTER 3 MINS; THE #2 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. OPS HAD ASKED FOR THE APU TO BE STARTED. BEFORE STARTING THE APU; THE FO REACHED UP TO SELECT THE APU GENERATOR SWITCH OFF AND INADVERTENTLY PUSHED THE GENERATOR #1 SWITCH KILLING MAIN ELECTRICS TO THE ACFT. BY THIS TIME; THE ACFT WAS DRIFTING TO THE R. I ASKED THE FO TO PUT GENERATOR #1 BACK ON LINE. SHE PUSHED THE SWITCH BUT IT DID NOT TAKE. AT THIS POINT; I ALSO HAD A FAIR AMOUNT OF L NOSEWHEEL STEERING INPUT. I REACHED UP AND PUSHED THE GENERATOR #1 SWITCH ON; ELECTRICS WERE RESTORED; AND THE ACFT SWERVED TO THE L. I CTLED THE ACFT WITH THE NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO GET IT BACK TO THE TXWY CTRLINE AND WE HIT A TXWY LIGHT AS WE STABILIZED BACK TO THE CTRLINE. THE ACFT AT NO TIME LEFT THE PAVEMENT. WE THEN TAXIED TO THE GATE WITHOUT INCIDENT; SENT A MAINT RPT; CONTACTED MAINT CTL AND DID A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE GEAR. WE FOUND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE GEAR. HUMAN FACTORS: IT WAS THE END OF THE DAY. IN ADDITION; SOMETIMES AIRBUS SWITCHES CAN BE DIFFICULT TO TURN ON AND OFF. SINCE THE APU GENERATOR SWITCH IS LOCATED RIGHT NEXT TO THE GENERATOR #1 SWITCH; IT CAN BE INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED OFF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.