Serious incident Boeing 717-2BD N978AT,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 370371
 
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Date:Friday 5 March 2004
Time:16:39 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic B712 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Boeing 717-2BD
Owner/operator:Airtran Airways
Registration: N978AT
MSN: 55037/5108
Engine model:Rolls-Royce BR 715
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 118
Aircraft damage: None
Category:Serious incident
Location:Atlanta, GA -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, GA (ATL/KATL)
Destination airport:Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, MN (MSP/KMSP)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
According to the captain, during the climb out from runway 26L at approximately 200 feet, the number 6 display unit on the pilot's instrument panel went blank and the engine alert display left generator off alert displayed. The first officer requested radar vectors from the Atlanta Tower. After contacting the tower the airplane had a complete electrical power failure, and communications with the Atlanta Tower was lost. Emergency electrical power was restored shortly after the electrical failure. The flight attendants advised the captain that there was smoke in the aft part of the cabin area. The captain and first officer "smelled an electrical burning smell", and declared an emergency. The captain returned to the airport and made an emergency landing, and evacuated the airplane on runway 9R. Examination of the Power Conversion Distribution Unit revealed that the tantalum capacitor and the permanent magnet generator input transformer failed. The failed transformer was the apparent source of the smoke in the cabin. No other anomalies were reported by the captain.


Probable Cause: The failure of the tantalum capacitor and the permanent magnet generator input transformer which resulted in total electrical system failure.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ATL04IA085
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ATL04IA085

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
25-Mar-2024 10:01 ASN Update Bot Added

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