Air carrier medium large transport tail cone overheat problem, return land.

Attributes
ACN	106131
Time
Date	198903
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17500 msl bound upper : 17500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zkc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute airway : j24
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	106131
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

While climbing to FL230 the tail compartment temperature high light illuminated. We ran the required checklist and the light extinguished. As we completed the checklist we requested a routine return to stl to get the problem corrected. ZKC was very efficient in handling our return and we were back to stl in a very few mins. The situation was not am emergency, nor did we declare such. The purpose of my submitting this report is only to give your data base more information re: the workload of the 2-M crew while handling an abnormal situation. The return required the first officer to complete not only the abnormal checklist, but also the descent/approach and landing checklist, all in a short period of time. All of this resulted in one pilot flying and communicating with ATC, while the second pilot ran checklists, obtained the ATIS and called the company. I've always flown on a 2-M flight deck and I feel it to be quite safe as long as procedures are kept simple and ancillary duties are kept to a minimum. I question the safety of 2 men on a long segment with a complex problem as might happen on the widebody transport new generation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TAIL CONE OVERHEAT PROBLEM, RETURN LAND.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO FL230 THE TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP HIGH LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WE RAN THE REQUIRED CHKLIST AND THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. AS WE COMPLETED THE CHKLIST WE REQUESTED A ROUTINE RETURN TO STL TO GET THE PROB CORRECTED. ZKC WAS VERY EFFICIENT IN HANDLING OUR RETURN AND WE WERE BACK TO STL IN A VERY FEW MINS. THE SITUATION WAS NOT AM EMER, NOR DID WE DECLARE SUCH. THE PURPOSE OF MY SUBMITTING THIS RPT IS ONLY TO GIVE YOUR DATA BASE MORE INFO RE: THE WORKLOAD OF THE 2-M CREW WHILE HANDLING AN ABNORMAL SITUATION. THE RETURN REQUIRED THE F/O TO COMPLETE NOT ONLY THE ABNORMAL CHKLIST, BUT ALSO THE DSCNT/APCH AND LNDG CHKLIST, ALL IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. ALL OF THIS RESULTED IN ONE PLT FLYING AND COMMUNICATING WITH ATC, WHILE THE SECOND PLT RAN CHKLISTS, OBTAINED THE ATIS AND CALLED THE COMPANY. I'VE ALWAYS FLOWN ON A 2-M FLT DECK AND I FEEL IT TO BE QUITE SAFE AS LONG AS PROCS ARE KEPT SIMPLE AND ANCILLARY DUTIES ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM. I QUESTION THE SAFETY OF 2 MEN ON A LONG SEGMENT WITH A COMPLEX PROB AS MIGHT HAPPEN ON THE WDB NEW GENERATION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.