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| Date: | Thursday 31 May 1990 |
| Time: | 08:10 LT |
| Type: |  Douglas DC-9-31 |
| Owner/operator: | Eastern Air Lines |
| Registration: | N8982E |
| MSN: | 47331/408 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1968 |
| Engine model: | P&W JT8D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 67 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Atlanta, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | |
| Charlotte, NC (KCLT) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CREW HEARD A LOUD 'CLUNK', FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT GENERATOR FALLING OFF LINE. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING TO RESET THE RIGHT GENERATOR, THE LEFT GENERATOR FELL OFF LINE. AN ATTEMPT TO RESET THE LEFT GENERATOR WAS ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CREW SELECTED EMERGENCY POWER AND RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT FOR AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AFTER THE INCIDENT REVEALED THAT THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY HAD FAILED IN THE 'CLOSED' POSITION. THIS PREVENTED EITHER GENERATOR FROM BEING PUT BACK ON LINE. BOTH GENERATORS AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS WERE EXAMINED AND NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS OBSERVED.
Probable Cause: FAILURE OF THE AC CROSS TIE RELAY, WHICH PREVENTED THE GENERATORS FROM BEING RECONNECTED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. A FACTOR IN THE INCIDENT WAS THE LOSS OF THE LEFT GENERATOR IN FLIGHT. FACTORS INCLUDE INADVERTENTLY DISCONNECTING THE LEFT GENERATOR WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THE RIGHT GENERATOR LOSS.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL90IA124
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Mar-2024 13:05 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 17-Oct-2024 17:24 | ASN | Updated [Cn, Other fatalities, Narrative, ] |
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