LATAM B773 complete electrical failure?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles
LATAM B773 complete electrical failure?
Incident: LATAM B773 near Belo Horizonte on Dec 20th 2018, electrical failures
Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.
Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.

Joined: Jul 2009
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 1,588
Likes: 185
From: Not far from a big Lake
CESSNA MODE
Looks like they reverted to basic Night VFR Cessna mode. Put the gear and flaps down, and plopped it onto a suitable runway. Everyone OK and aircraft reusable.
Good Job!
Good Job!
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 863
Likes: 0
From: HERE AND THERE
I’m surprised too. Or not...
...maybe a complete electrical failure is something that happen very often on a modern widebody like the 777-300 ER... People are not very excited about it. After all it wasn’t a BA or Qantas 777 
Surprised this isn't a hot topic - I must not understand the situation correctly.[/QUOTE]
Last edited by fullforward; 22nd December 2018 at 17:55.


Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 581
Likes: 3
From: ZRH
Have to say it surprises me too. I'd be interested to hear from some 777 experienced people what they think could have happened which would render both engine generators as well as APU unavailable. By the looks of it they were on stand by electrics including the RAT generator. Obviously it was enough to land the plane but no easy feat most probably.

Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Holly Tree Cottage, Wanborough
AV Herald report on B777-300ER diversion
Incident: LATAM B773 near Belo Horizonte on Dec 20th 2018, electrical failures, RAT deployed
Read all about it here.
Read all about it here.

Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 428
Likes: 8
From: Middle East
Looks like the ATC comms got patched by mistake onto the PA and went out in the cabin, hence the pax knew that they were in deep Doodoo.
Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?
Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?


Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 910
Likes: 47
From: Perth, WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Azul Linhas Aereas ATR-72-212A registrations PR-AKJ and PR-AKD have been dispatched to take about 7 tons of equipment, including the needed hydraulic jack and replacement tyres, to Belo Horizonte.
The MH370 people will, no doubt, be looking at this with deep interest.
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 153
Likes: 11
From: Brasil
The other issue is how it was reported here in Brazil, a company spokesman / very senior manager / exec said (I'll find the original quote in Portuguese later, so translating from memory)
"I have spoken to the cabin crew of this flight, one member told me that this was a miracle and without faith and God, we would all certainly be dead"
A very interesting stance for the company to take.
By interesting... I think I mean "ridiculous". What are people's thoughts on this?
"I have spoken to the cabin crew of this flight, one member told me that this was a miracle and without faith and God, we would all certainly be dead"
A very interesting stance for the company to take.
By interesting... I think I mean "ridiculous". What are people's thoughts on this?

Joined: Dec 2013
Aviation Qualifications: ATP+Mil
Posts: 990
Likes: 553
From: US
Looks like the ATC comms got patched by mistake onto the PA and went out in the cabin, hence the pax knew that they were in deep Doodoo.
Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?
Either way an outstanding bit of airmanship from these guys. If this had happened mid Atlantic then we’d be looking at another MH370, no?
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 1,765
Likes: 3
From: UK
It certainly will be interesting to know what electrics they had left and what caused this. Aircraft like this have considerable levels of automatic electrical fault isolation and huge redundancy that only multiple failures can cripple. However, as some of us appreciate, when !!!! happens....
Good to see a safe landing!
Good to see a safe landing!

Joined: May 2011
Posts: 1,358
Likes: 3
From: NEW YORK
A serious glitch indeed, wonder if the preceding faults had any connection to this.

Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,451
Likes: 6
From: schermoney and left front seat
Well, the dude talked to the best educated people (cabin crew) on the matter and referring to a captain / flight crew as "god" certainly is correct...

Joined: Feb 2006
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 490
Likes: 15
From: USA
Update from AvHerald
Updated description of the electrical failures
On Dec 22nd 2018 The Aviation Herald learned that the electrical problems started with the failure of the right hand backup generator, as result both transfer and both converter circuit breakers popped leaving all electrical busses unpowered although left and right main generators as well as their generator controls, the APU and the left backup generator remained operative (see ELEC page below, the lines to the L MAIN and R MAIN should be green not white and these symbols should be green, too). As result almost all systems except a few connected to the standby busses lost power, only systems remaining powered are: stand by busses (powering one VHF radio) and emergency lighting, the left inboard and outboard and upper center displays as well as the left CDU remain also powered (according to FCOM via the batteries and/or RAT - with the RAT operating also the right hand - first officer's - displays are being powered).



