Dash 8-100
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 120; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 10000
Workload; Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification; Distraction
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; General Declared Emergency; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft; Procedure; Weather
8;000 feet in heavy snow after departing; -7C; we noticed the Caution Light panel LT TRU; L AC Bus; L Elevator Heat and Stall Warn lights illuminated. Based on flight conditions and aircraft condition; degraded deice capability; an emergency was declared and returned to the departure airport. Completed applicable checklists notified Company; Flight Attendant and passengers of our return; special cabin instructions were not required. Our Flight Attendant called the cockpit around the time we noticed the light panel to alert us the emergency lights were flashing. A landing was uneventful; no assistance was required. Uneventful taxi to gate with normal shut down procedures.
This report contains no additional information.
A DHC-8-100 L AC Bus failed after takeoff in heavy snow; so an emergency was declared and the flight returned to the departure airport.