2022-04 · NASA ASRS report 1892385
A320 flight crew reported a #2 IDG failure to disconnect when selected multiple times. The flight crew elected to perform an air turn back and make a precautionary landing at departure airport.
Aircraft Dispatched with MEL XX-XX-# for the Engine Driven Generator Channel on the #2 engine. The IDG (Integrated drive generator) had not been disconnected at that time and the MEL instructed to only turn it off if directed by the ECAM (Electronic centralized aircraft monitor). After pushback; Assigned EDCT (estimated departure clearance time) XA:45 local. Single engine (#1) taxi to Northwest Hold pad and engine shut down to conserve fuel using only the APU. XA:35 started both engines and accomplished after start checklist associated with MEL. Just prior to taxi we received an amber ECAM message (ELEC IDG 2 Oil Low PR) instructing us to turn off IDG 2. Capt called maintenance control to confirm they wanted the IDG disconnected. They advised us to follow the ECAM. After the IDG 2 was turned off; the ECAM disappeared and the IDG was correctly showing DISC on the ELEC page. Maintenance control advised us we were safe to proceed. We continued as planned and departed ZZZ. While climbing on the departure the same ECAM reappeared. Attempted to disconnect the IDG again following ECAM and Quick Reference Handbook procedures. Momentarily showed DISC again only to re-engage seconds later. At that point Captain assigned pilot flying duties and radios to me. He used crew phone app on his iPad to call maintenance control to trouble shoot the problem. They attempted to disengage the IDG two more times without success. Captain in concurrence with maintenance control made the decision to return to ZZZ for an overweight landing. Accomplished all associated Quick Reference Handbook procedures; notifications and land assessment. Declared priority with approach control and requested airport rescue and firefighting. Successful landing with no further issues or instances. Canceled priority once clear of the runway and taxied to the gate. IDG 2 failure to disconnect after multiple attempts. Not sure if it could've been avoided. Prior to takeoff aircraft was showing all correct indications. System failure to disconnect IDG 2 correctly in flight.
MEL XX-XX-# was applied to this aircraft. After the second engine start; we received an ECAM (Electronic centralized aircraft monitor) directing us to disconnect 2 IDG (Integrated drive generator). We contacted maintenance crew and after their concurrence we disconnected IDG 2. I questioned whether this would work given the MEL already had GEN 2 OFF; but the ELEC page confirmed the IDG was disconnected. We departed and on the climb out; the IDG came back online with a ECAM directing us to disconnect it again. I contacted maintenance crew via the Dispatcher using the crew phone app. At this point; the IDG ECAM was going on and off multiple times. I again selected the IDG off at the direction of maintenance crew (we tried this 3 times). The IDG would not stay disconnected. I again questioned whether the GEN 2 being offline had anything to do with it; but they didn't seem to think I so. Maintenance crew requested a return to CLT. With Dispatcher concurrence; we returned to CLT. We requested priority handling with CLT approach due to our overweight landing and had safety vehicles standing by. We landed smoothly 4;000 lbs overweight. We cleared the runway; cancelled our priority handling and proceeded to the gate. We swapped aircraft and proceeded to ZZZ without further incident. I'm of the opinion that an aircraft with this type of MEL should not be dispatched to non maintenance stations; and definitely not to a small island in the Caribbean. This MEL was a Category B on day 2 of the 3 day repair window and being an IDG (red guarded switch) added an additional level of stress when working through procedure. This situation could have been avoided. Just because the MEL allows Dispatch to a station doesn't make it smart.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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