EasyJet A319 Complete Loss of Electric Power?
 

Apparently an EasyJet Airbus had a major electrical failure a couple of days ago and diverted to Bristol after the Captain contacted ATC via his mobile phone.

This incident seems to have been kept quiet, but apparently the AAIB attended the aircraft as soon as it landed. I would have thought that a complete loss of electrics was almost impossible and one would assume that they had at least emergency electrical config - does anybody have further details?

(edit to downgrade to "major" electrical failure because I can't imagine they lost battery power as well).

God save Vodafone.

Good job the old draconian security regs weren't in force, otherwise he wouldn't have had a phone to use !

I read about a BA 319 or 320 that had a complete electrical failure just out of LHR, they managed to sort it (or most of it)and pushed on to Budapest, but it couldn't be replicated again. I read about in flywise, the BA publication. Please noboody shoot me if i've missed some info - i'm only an ATCO.

dead right...if info correct..

would'nt it be weird if someday the people that make security regs were in a bind like that as passenger..!!!!...not for a moment wishing that ill on anyone...:oh:

Surely it couldn't be a 'complete' electrical failure? May be the
radios, screens and other avionics were down, but (forgive my ignorance)
there must have been power via fly by wire to operate the flying surfaces,
and command the engines.

I now wait to be jumped upon!! :hmm:

I thought one was not allowed to use a mobile on a/c? That skipper is sure in trouble now.

mobile phone?
 

i've tried several times to check and see if my mobile would work in flight and i never get a signal?

how low and slow must you be to get it to connect?

or is it a function of certain services work better than others? or do i need to arrange an in-flight subscription add on?

i have seen numbers to contact ATC in the loss of comm section, but have never been able to imagine it to work-especially if one were at the higher FL's.

please let me know how it works.

cheers;

When you say a complete power loss surely you don't mean the fecking lot. Are you left with the essentials like fag lighter and vanity light on the visor. Surely the battery would power the essential bus

If slats/flaps extended it should work (low and slow).

Ive tried at 2000ft at 100kts in a 152 and it doesnt work, mind you my phone doesnt work in the kitchen.

airbus 320 series has a RAT (ram air turbine) which can spin a hydraulically powered generator.

perhaps it wasn't a complete loss of electrics, but perhaps shutdown many vital functions.

more info would be nice.


A friend (who shall remain nameless) reported a good signal on his cell phone at 30,000feet near Las Vegas, Nevada USA...also strangely near Area 51...

I heard from a friend of a friend so take the information how you will but allegedly the aircraft was operating with one IDG u/s which calls for the APU to be running and it also caps the maximum flight level. Towards the end of the cruise the amber caution lit and the ECAM commenced to display multiple failures which ran into several pages.

They were left with only the FO's PFD, ND and the lower ECAM display.

There were no fault lights on the overhead panel.

ALL three radios were dead as well as the transponder. Switching the transponder to number two system made it work again and they were able to transmitt 7700.

When working through the ECAM they were presented with a hydraulics and flight control page with amber xx's through everything and an indication that the RAT had deployed (on the ground it was confirmed that the RAT had NOT deployed).

FO was flying raw data with Alternate Law. INOP sys page listed just about everything from Seat Belts to Thrust Reversers. Both suffered from hypoxia symptoms but thankfully were already in descent.

Gear lever would not lower the gear and so manual deployment was actioned early which was not ideal as it meant a direct law approach. They landed safely in BRS and thrust reversers deployed and brakes worked normally despite being listed as inop.

They came to a stop but could not shut down the engines with the master switches and had to use the fire push buttons. In the cabin the CIDs was dead as well as the seatbelt signs, PA worked but intercomm did not.

Allegedly Airbus is perplexed and have said that these failured together should not be possible especially the triple radio failure.

The AAIB are allegedly involved and have the the FDR and CVR data, unfortunately the CVR appeared to stop recording at the time of the initial fault (not supposed to happen) and there is no record of any out of the ordinary event on the FDR or CDS.

Apparently when the aircraft was next powered up everything appeared normal!

I know no more and what I have written is third hand.

Regarding cell phones I have occasionally, accidentally left mine switched on and have received text messages during the flight, discovered upon landing.

andy pandy

thanks for that great information, that at least stirs the imagination even if not official.

as wonderful as electronic things are, sometimes they quit working right. call it a short, call it what you like, but...

first off, good job to crew for getting down in one piece...nice too that flight controls worked even if only in direct law or another law...still easier than using trim and rudder//assymetric thrust etc.

I am a fan of fly by CABLE and not by wire...


Every once in awhile you hear or see for youself an odd electrical situation...it does happen even if the manufacturer says its impossible. I hope that this plane remains grounded until problem can be duplicated!!!


regards

jon
"daisy, daisy, give me your answer dooooooooooooooooooooo"

Even if only half true, Andy, Excellent post so thank you. Gives plenty of food for thought on Le 'Bus systems.

Airbourne mobiles Mobiles will pick up messages from ground stations, welcoming them to their networks most of the way from Hong Kong to London.
Good thing the security industry has stopped binning them.

Mmmm, shades of the British Eagle Viscount that had a history of total electrical failures. The last time it happened, the aircraft tumbled out of a layer of stratus followed by the outer wings being torn off trying to level out. Electrical quirks have to be taken very seriously.

surprised no one has said it but this is obviously a :

BUS FAULT ;-)

This one I think,
http://aviation-safety.net/database/...0809-0&lang=en
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David

Why don't flight decks have a handheld VHF transceiver stashed away in a niche somewhere? You might not be able to get to ATC directly with the integral antenna inside the cockpit, but you should be able to get someone on 121.5 if you're anywhere remotely busy. Cost negligable, reliability good (keep it on trickle charge and change the battery every year), and I can think of other scenarios where it might just make the difference. Certainly beats having to rely on a GSM mobile - getting text messages in flight is very different from maintaining a voice-grade connection.

R