A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 200; Flight Crew Total 19500; Flight Crew Type 2200
Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Diverted; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
We were cruising at FL320 at night; IFR; with the First Officer flying. We started getting multiple ECAMs and the First Officer told me to take the aircraft as he had lost all flight instruments and displays. I took control and at about the same time the autopilot disengaged with a Master Warning; auto-thrust disengaged leaving THR LK on my FMA; #2 EPR gage in yellow with X's. The cockpit lights were flashing on and off and there was a loud clicking towards the back of the cockpit which sounded like the solenoid on the door lock. We immediately started the APU. We had ECAMs for #2 EPR mode inop; ELAC 2 inop; SEC 2 inop; SEC 3 inop; FAC 2 inop; Cab Sys 1 inop; cargo smoke detect fault inop; SDCU detect inop; the ECAM lower SD system display was blank except for a diagonal line; and overhead on the ADR panel the 'ON BAT' light was illuminated. Additionally we lost communications with the cabin crew. They were calling us with their call button and pounding on the cockpit door but we couldn't respond immediately as the interphone was inop. I flew the aircraft while the First Officer diligently worked the ECAMs in sequence but we kept getting repeat ECAMs and it became apparent the FWC was taking us in endless circles and there must be a bigger problem the FWC is not picking up. At this point it seemed obvious we had major problems and should land as soon as possible. I declared an emergency with Center and started a descent. Next we pulled up the system pages and noticed the #2 Gen was showing red with volts about 80 and freqs about 120. Evidently the GCU for the #2 gen was not forcing a protection trip and we never got a gen fault light or ECAM for such. With the APU running we elected to deselect the #2 gen allowing the APU gen to pick up A/C bus 2 rather than using gen #1 possibly contaminating A/C bus 1 and our only 2 remaining flight control computers.  This seemed to slowly clear up most of our problems. Still; the First Officer had no ND; the lower SD system display was still inop and we still had 4 flight control computers faulted. We were concerned about the 4 inop flight control computers so we decided to slowly and carefully reset each one at a time. We got all flight control computers back on line. With the aircraft under control we briefed the flight attendants (TEST) and passengers on our divert and then contacted Dispatch connecting with Maintenance Control as well. Maintenance advised he had been receiving a large volume of downloaded faults from our aircraft and we should land as soon as possible. We accomplished the divert items listed in the FOM and Dispatch sent us weights for landing. ATC was very accommodating and we made an uneventful overweight landing per checklist. Emergency equipment was standing by but not needed. After landing we debriefed with everyone and elected to take another Airbus on to destination 2 hours later. The next leg was uneventful.
In cruise at FL320; multiple ECAMs starting appearing; cockpit lighting was flashing; door lock clicking; AP and AT disconnected. First Officer PFD and ND as well as lower eng display blanked out. I handed Pilot Flying duties to the Captain as I had no instrumentation. Main ECAMs were ELAC2/SEC2+3/FAC2; cargo smoke fault; cab sys 1 fault; IRU on bat light was on. ECAMs were cycling through with the aforementioned ELAC/SEC/FAC fault lights flashing. Cabin interphone was inop. Both engine EPR gauges showed XX. Attempted to run ECAM however it was cycling fast so was hard to do. Followed ECAM which had me reset ELAC/SEC/FAC; no help. Both engines were put; per checklist into N1 mode. #2 engine did not seem to respond well to throttle inputs. Captain declared the emergency. We started APU but did not help the problem. I looked at the ELEC page and saw that GEN2 showed red and HZ/V seemed abnormal.I showed the Captain and I suggested that we disconnect the gen; he agreed. As soon as the gen was disconnected the light show and multiple ECAMs stopped. I contacted Dispatch and Maintenance Control; we agreed that diverting was the safest course of action and diverted. Accomplished the overweight landing checklist as we were at 148;000 lbs; uneventful landing. Fire trucks met us; no further action was required.
A320 flight crew experiences loss of the First Officer's flight displays along with autopilot and autothrust disconnects in night IMC at FL320. ECAMS were displayed for #2 EPR mode inop; ELAC 2 inop; SEC 2 inop; SEC 3 inop; FAC 2 inop; Cab Sys 1 inop; cargo smoke detect fault inop; SDCU detect inop; the ECAM lower SD system display was blank. The APU is started and the number two generator is deselected allowing most systems to return to normal. Flight diverts to a suitable airport.