Narrative:

Flight was dispatched with MEL item with operational requirement to operate APU from coast out point to coast in point; and with appropriate fuel additive. Prior to coast out point; APU start attempts were made with successive light offs but eventual fault and shutdowns. Immediately we began to discuss alternative strategies to our predicament. We contacted dispatch and discussed the situation. After phone patch with technical support and no obvious solution; dispatcher suggested and we initially agreed to revise the operational requirement of the MEL to 120 min ETOPS paragraph. After further review of that alternative; I realized that also required an operative APU generator as well as 2 operating engine driven generators. During this time we continued unsuccessful APU starts. All the while; we were heading further out of radar contact and about to lose VHF radio contact with radio. Further discussions were made about descent attempts to start the APU but I began to realize the difficulties associated with requesting and receiving an amended clearance at this point in the track. Finally we agreed in one last attempt to start the APU and called radio for a descent clearance. We explained the situation but the request was eventually denied. At this point I decided that we either had to descend for the attempted APU start or we needed to divert. I exercised captain's emergency authority/authorized; and declared an emergency with radio. We followed the nat track procedures; offset our course; and initiated our VFR descent. Continued attempts to start the APU were made down to approximately 15000 ft where eventually the APU did start. We were in contact with dispatch at the time and at that point; we all agreed to continue the flight to our destination. We received amended altitude clearance and routing clearance back on course from radio. At our next waypoint; we again contacted dispatch with our latest time and fuel figures. Again; it was agreed to continue the flight to destination. Flight continued without further incidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B7677-300 COASTING OUT FOR AN INTL FLT HAS DIFFICULTY STARTING THEIR APU. THE FLT CREW DECLARES AN EMER TO DSND AND START THE APU.

Narrative: FLT WAS DISPATCHED WITH MEL ITEM WITH OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT TO OPERATE APU FROM COAST OUT POINT TO COAST IN POINT; AND WITH APPROPRIATE FUEL ADDITIVE. PRIOR TO COAST OUT POINT; APU START ATTEMPTS WERE MADE WITH SUCCESSIVE LIGHT OFFS BUT EVENTUAL FAULT AND SHUTDOWNS. IMMEDIATELY WE BEGAN TO DISCUSS ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES TO OUR PREDICAMENT. WE CONTACTED DISPATCH AND DISCUSSED THE SITUATION. AFTER PHONE PATCH WITH TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND NO OBVIOUS SOLUTION; DISPATCHER SUGGESTED AND WE INITIALLY AGREED TO REVISE THE OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT OF THE MEL TO 120 MIN ETOPS PARAGRAPH. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW OF THAT ALTERNATIVE; I REALIZED THAT ALSO REQUIRED AN OPERATIVE APU GENERATOR AS WELL AS 2 OPERATING ENG DRIVEN GENERATORS. DURING THIS TIME WE CONTINUED UNSUCCESSFUL APU STARTS. ALL THE WHILE; WE WERE HDG FURTHER OUT OF RADAR CONTACT AND ABOUT TO LOSE VHF RADIO CONTACT WITH RADIO. FURTHER DISCUSSIONS WERE MADE ABOUT DSCNT ATTEMPTS TO START THE APU BUT I BEGAN TO REALIZE THE DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH REQUESTING AND RECEIVING AN AMENDED CLRNC AT THIS POINT IN THE TRACK. FINALLY WE AGREED IN ONE LAST ATTEMPT TO START THE APU AND CALLED RADIO FOR A DSCNT CLRNC. WE EXPLAINED THE SITUATION BUT THE REQUEST WAS EVENTUALLY DENIED. AT THIS POINT I DECIDED THAT WE EITHER HAD TO DSND FOR THE ATTEMPTED APU START OR WE NEEDED TO DIVERT. I EXERCISED CAPT'S EMER AUTH; AND DECLARED AN EMER WITH RADIO. WE FOLLOWED THE NAT TRACK PROCS; OFFSET OUR COURSE; AND INITIATED OUR VFR DSCNT. CONTINUED ATTEMPTS TO START THE APU WERE MADE DOWN TO APPROX 15000 FT WHERE EVENTUALLY THE APU DID START. WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH DISPATCH AT THE TIME AND AT THAT POINT; WE ALL AGREED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO OUR DEST. WE RECEIVED AMENDED ALT CLRNC AND ROUTING CLRNC BACK ON COURSE FROM RADIO. AT OUR NEXT WAYPOINT; WE AGAIN CONTACTED DISPATCH WITH OUR LATEST TIME AND FUEL FIGURES. AGAIN; IT WAS AGREED TO CONTINUE THE FLT TO DEST. FLT CONTINUED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENTS.

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.