Date: 201301
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZZ.Tower, US
Light: Night
Aircraft: MD-11
Operator: Air Carrier
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Takeoff / Launch
Aircraft component: Electrical Distribution
Component problem: Failed
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Detector: Automation Aircraft Other Automation; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Procedure; Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Prior leg was operated in this aircraft.  I was PF for the 1st leg.  Upon liftoff we got a master caution for a level 1 'AC Tie 1 Off' alert.  All buses were powered; however IDG 1 was supplying AC1 and LEAC buses directly instead of through tied bus.  No real problem as everything was working.  Uneventful landing and Captain wrote up problem and maint. deferred the Number 1 IDG and did a ground reset of the Number 1 AC bus tie.  After a normal start and disconnect of the Number 1 IDG; we got a EPGS level 1 fault that required Maintenance to come up and reset the ECU.   Normal taxi out with all indications as stated in the MEL.  Upon lift off; AC Tie 1 immediately opened and we lost power to LEAC and AC1 buses.  DU's auto reconfigured with emergency power but acted erratically.  Too many level 1's to count.  Captain transferred flight control to me.  I continued a normal takeoff profile and called for the after takeoff checklist which the captain accomplished. Departure was complaining that our transponder wasn't on; we explained we had an electrical problem and would get back to them.  Captain began to work through checklist and I assumed radios.  Switched to Transponder Number 2 and that solved one problem.  I continued to climb per ATC instructions.  Climbing through the lower FL's we determined that while we had some electrical issues; the plane was stable and we could push on to destination.  The ADG was deployed to provide battery charging so we wouldn't lose the LEAC.  Background lighting on most switches and displays was inop and that added a level of difficulty; always having to shine a light to see what you were doing.  Even though the ADG was deployed and it seemed we had stable power; we kept getting nuisance alerts as though there were some other problems we weren't seeing.  Random 'engine ignition not armed' and 'IRU AUX on battery' and 'IRU battery low' to name a few.  On the ILS at approximately 1;000 feet AGL; the auto pilot and auto throttles both disconnected and we received a momentary stick shaker (we were easily 10 knots above the foot).  Continued approach and had a normal landing...until touchdown.  The entire cockpit went dark; no communication; all DU's blank; and no lights.  Just prior to reaching the highspeed toward our ramp; the Captains equipment powered by the LEAC came back on line.  The electrical synoptic showed the Number 1 AC tie had suddenly closed.  Everything on my side remained off.  I couldn't even use the Number 1 radio because my audio panel was dead.  Did the after landing checklist as best we could.  When ramp hooked up ground power; everything on my side returned; along with numerous new level 1 alerts.  I can see where maintenance thought the Number 1 IDG was causing the bus tie problems; but in hind sight and seeing the way things worked after we took off with it disconnected; I think there is an issue with the bus tie circuitry or some problem with the Number 1 AC bus.


Second narrative: This was the second of two legs. On the first leg; we received a level one electrical alert after takeoff of 'AC Tie 1 Off' and communicated this to Maintenance Control. After landing; the Mechanics were debriefed on the write-up and they determined the remedy was to disconnect the Number 1 Engine IDG which was accomplished after engine start for the second leg. The Mechanics had cleared the original write-up with a 'return to service' test and an MEL for the Number 1 IDG to be disconnected. On takeoff; the 'AC Tie 1 Off' alert again appeared; and because the #1 IDG was disconnected; we lost connection to the number one AC bus and the left emergency bus; and received numerous electrical and pneumatic alerts; with corresponding loss of flight displays on the Captains side. This required the First Officer to assume control of the aircraft which was accomplished. It is apparent that the MEL applied to the original write-up was not correct and made the situation much worse when the fault repeated itself after takeoff on the second leg. One of the consequences of the electrical faults on the second leg was that the emergency power was activated; which was depleting the aircraft's battery. In accordance with the Quick Reaction Handbook; I deployed the ADG to supply electrical power to recharge the battery. The rest of the leg was uneventful until landing when the AC Tie 1 Off alert went away but we momentarily lost all flight displays. Taxi into the ramp was uneventful; but the first officer never recovered his flight instruments. The purpose of this report is to shed light on the decision making process that led to the MEL being applied which caused greater problems than if the MEL had not been applied. Though I do not believe it to be the case; my communication with the foreign mechanics may have been an unintended factor. I do not believe it to be the case; but communication with a foreign mechanic may have contributed to the problem. It appeared to me that he understood the problem; which was a simple bus tie off line; but the remedy was obviously not correct. I can only presume that his understanding of the problem was incorrect or he needed more knowledge of the electrical system.


Synopsis: MD11 flight crew experience a level 1 'AC Tie 1 off' alert on the first flight with this aircraft.  Maintenance believes the problem is with the number one IDG and elects to defer the repair requiring the crew to disconnect the IDG prior to takeoff.  Upon lift off numerous electrical anomalies are noted which the crew is able to deal with to some degree and continue to destination.  During approach both auto thrust and autopilot disengage and upon landing all electrical power is lost.