Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Troubleshooting; Workload; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
We finally got going [after being delayed]; boarded; and pushed back with no faulty indications. Taxied out and took off runway XXR. At rotation; heard the click of a generator coming offline. Continued climbout; at thrust reduction altitude 2 ECAMs appeared: 'ELEC IDG 2 OIL LO PR' & 'ELEC GEN 2 FAULT'. The IDG2 was illuminated with a fault; we ran the ECAM as we continued to climb out. We disconnected the IDG and started the APU to get another generator going. As we climbed out; the APU came up and carried the load. At this point we discussed our options; I contacted Maintenance and Dispatch via ACARS; talked to the flight attendants and people. We climbed up to an altitude of FL230 and looked at new fuel burn of having to go all the way across the country to [destination] with only one working engine generator. We would've had to stay lower and run the APU the entire way; burning all of our contingency fuel doing so; even knowing there was weather to deviate around on the way and no buffer should something else happen. Dispatch requested us to continue to [destination]; but I was not confident in that plan. So; for safety of flight and fuel burn and also not knowing what had gone on to cause the IDG to fault; we decided to return to ZZZ. We burned a little fuel while up there getting vectors from Approach; and requested a return to ZZZ with no emergency at this time; but requested they have fire and rescue standing by. They coordinated it; and since we figured it was going to take an hour and a half to burn the gas; we elected to run the overweight landing checklist and return overweight. We took a few vectors; then guidance back for a landing on Runway XXR ZZZ. Right outside ZZZZZ intersection; and ADV white message started flashing along with the ENGINE page on the ECAM. ENGINE 2 had developed an oil leak and rapidly lost most of its oil. The ENG 2 oil quantity got all the way down to 2.4 quarts. To attempt to ease the load on ENG 2; brought the thrust back to idle and continued approach at low power setting as long as possible. We unloaded the packs to the APU; watched our vertical speed and had a smooth touchdown on Runway XXR at a weight of 141.3. ENG 2 oil levels at touchdown were 2.3 quarts and pulsing on ECAM. Fire and rescue saw no problems with us; but did follow us to the gate. We shut down ENG 2 on taxi in. Upon arrival at gate; maintenance met us and immediately recognized that the IDG had clearly been over serviced before departure. Oil was all over the engine; streaking down and back all over it. They told us the IDG 2 had probably blown and when that happened; the pressure increased eventually and cause the strain on an oil seal in ENG 2 which led to our OIL leak. They began repairs and changing seals; with an estimate of at least 3 hours for a fix.
On takeoff role I heard a 'click' sound as if electrical power had been transferred (when EXT power is transferred to APU). We continued takeoff role. On climb out I briefly looked at the overhead panel and noticed GEN2 fault and IDG2 fault. At 1000AGL we received the ECAM message confirming both faults.We continued the SID as briefed while captain ran ECAM and COM. We then discussed options and the captain communicated with ATC; OPS; MX. Due to altitude restrictions to FL330 and needing to run the APU as a substitute for GEN2 for the remainder of the 3.5 hour flight to [destination] we concluded we did not have enough fuel to continue the flight. This was against dispatches recommendation to continue. At this point we were vectored off the SID and descended to FL120 with the intention of burning fuel due to being overweight for landing. After attending to the mechanical failures and running checklist and discussing options we then evaluated our current fuel and time to burn it off to land under max landing weight. We realized that we would have to fly for an estimated additional 1.5hours and concluded the best course of action would be to land overweight and comply with overweight landing procedure. We then were assigned the ILS Runway XXL approach followed by a runway change to Runway XXR (the longer runway) for a visual. On final approach we then noticed ENG 2 oil QTY had dropped down to 2 qts. We concluded that there was a rapid oil leak. The captain monitored the oil qty while I flew the approach. We landed without incident.
An A319 flight crew were alerted by two ECAM messages: 'ELEC IDG 2 OIL LO PR' & 'ELEC GEN 2 FAULT.' They ran the ECAM checklists and brought the APU online for backup electrical power. They elected to return to their departure airport. During arrival they were alerted to the fact the ENG 2 had developed an oil leak. They landed overweight; but uneventfully and secured the number 2 ENG on taxi in.