ATL90IA124

1990-05-31 · ATLANTA, Georgia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport ATL

Aircraft involved

N8982E Douglas DC-9-31 None

Probable cause & findings

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.

Factual narrative

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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_ATL90IA124.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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