A fault processing subsystem of an electronics assembly, senses an alarm state at an output of a first power distribution element of multiple power distribution elements arranged in a hierarchy in the electronics assembly. The first element is at a level of the hierarchy other than the top level, and the alarm state corresponds to an output of the first element being different than an expected output of that element. The fault processing subsystem commands, in response to the sensing the alarm state, the first element to disable via a control input to the first element. In response to the fault processing subsystem thereafter sensing an alarm state at the power output of the commanded element, the fault processing subsystem commands an element at the next higher level in the hierarchy from the first element to disable.