An air carrier medium large transport landed overweight after a mechanical malfunction.

Attributes
ACN	249937
Time
Date	199308
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : stl
State Reference	MO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : stl tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude landing other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 660
ASRS Report	249937
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After takeoff from stl at approximately 2000 ft MSL, our 'tail compartment high temperature' warning light came on. We ran the checklist and the light went out in the allotted time. We prepared to continue the flight and re-established climb thrust when the light came back on again. We elected to return to stl for an overweight landing (approximately 10000 pounds high). In the meantime, the overtemp light went out and stayed out. We made a normal landing with the emergency equipment standing by as a precaution. We taxied to the gate where maintenance inspected the tail area, ran the engines and leak checked all ducting. They changed both temperature sensors and we departed a second time after the proper overweight landing checks and maintenance logbook signoffs had been made. The events of the second overweight landing were almost identical except for the fact that the overweight landing was only 5000 pounds over maximum certified landing weight. The second landing was normal and we taxied to the gate uneventfully. Maintenance took over the aircraft and the flight was cancelled. The crew was released and passenger re-booked on another flight. 'It was safer to land overweight in both sits.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG LANDED OVERWT AFTER A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM STL AT APPROX 2000 FT MSL, OUR 'TAIL COMPARTMENT HIGH TEMP' WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WE RAN THE CHKLIST AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT IN THE ALLOTTED TIME. WE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THE FLT AND RE-ESTABLISHED CLB THRUST WHEN THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO STL FOR AN OVERWT LNDG (APPROX 10000 LBS HIGH). IN THE MEANTIME, THE OVERTEMP LIGHT WENT OUT AND STAYED OUT. WE MADE A NORMAL LNDG WITH THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY AS A PRECAUTION. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WHERE MAINT INSPECTED THE TAIL AREA, RAN THE ENGS AND LEAK CHKED ALL DUCTING. THEY CHANGED BOTH TEMP SENSORS AND WE DEPARTED A SECOND TIME AFTER THE PROPER OVERWT LNDG CHKS AND MAINT LOGBOOK SIGNOFFS HAD BEEN MADE. THE EVENTS OF THE SECOND OVERWT LNDG WERE ALMOST IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE OVERWT LNDG WAS ONLY 5000 LBS OVER MAX CERTIFIED LNDG WT. THE SECOND LNDG WAS NORMAL AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT TOOK OVER THE ACFT AND THE FLT WAS CANCELLED. THE CREW WAS RELEASED AND PAX RE-BOOKED ON ANOTHER FLT. 'IT WAS SAFER TO LAND OVERWT IN BOTH SITS.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.