Narrative:

Altitude deviation during air interrupt -- dfw. After takeoff dfw, slight aircraft vibration noted and we leveled at 5000 ft with concurrence from departure control while in turn out of traffic to 270 degree heading. At that time, call to cockpit received from aft flight attendant alerting us to vibrations coming from right side of aircraft. During that call captain elected to turn downwind as a precaution and return for landing at dfw. ATC asked if we needed any assistance and we said no and did not declare an emergency as all engine instruments were normal. During the turn to downwind, captain was hand flying aircraft and deviations of several hundred ft occurred due to distrs from analyzing aircraft condition, several calls from flight attendants, frequency change, making PA to cabin about return for landing, and preparing aircraft for quick return for landing. On downwind, received clearance for descent to 3000 ft and started gradual descent. At that time we noticed an aircraft on departure turnout of traffic. Received and responded to an RA of 'monitor vertical speed' until clear of conflict. We had visual contact with other aircraft at all times. Returned to dfw for landing on runway 18R. In retrospect we should have declared an emergency to allow for altdevs during very busy time of flight. Also, use of autoplt would have been prudent to ease workload and ensure more precise aircraft control curing all the distrs during that phase of flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD ACFT VIBRATION AFTER TKOF. DURING MANEUVERING TO RETURN FOR LNDG THEY HAD ALTDEV AND TCASII RA.

Narrative: ALTDEV DURING AIR INTERRUPT -- DFW. AFTER TKOF DFW, SLIGHT ACFT VIBRATION NOTED AND WE LEVELED AT 5000 FT WITH CONCURRENCE FROM DEP CTL WHILE IN TURN OUT OF TFC TO 270 DEG HDG. AT THAT TIME, CALL TO COCKPIT RECEIVED FROM AFT FLT ATTENDANT ALERTING US TO VIBRATIONS COMING FROM R SIDE OF ACFT. DURING THAT CALL CAPT ELECTED TO TURN DOWNWIND AS A PRECAUTION AND RETURN FOR LNDG AT DFW. ATC ASKED IF WE NEEDED ANY ASSISTANCE AND WE SAID NO AND DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER AS ALL ENG INSTS WERE NORMAL. DURING THE TURN TO DOWNWIND, CAPT WAS HAND FLYING ACFT AND DEVS OF SEVERAL HUNDRED FT OCCURRED DUE TO DISTRS FROM ANALYZING ACFT CONDITION, SEVERAL CALLS FROM FLT ATTENDANTS, FREQ CHANGE, MAKING PA TO CABIN ABOUT RETURN FOR LNDG, AND PREPARING ACFT FOR QUICK RETURN FOR LNDG. ON DOWNWIND, RECEIVED CLRNC FOR DSCNT TO 3000 FT AND STARTED GRADUAL DSCNT. AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED AN ACFT ON DEP TURNOUT OF TFC. RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO AN RA OF 'MONITOR VERT SPD' UNTIL CLR OF CONFLICT. WE HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH OTHER ACFT AT ALL TIMES. RETURNED TO DFW FOR LNDG ON RWY 18R. IN RETROSPECT WE SHOULD HAVE DECLARED AN EMER TO ALLOW FOR ALTDEVS DURING VERY BUSY TIME OF FLT. ALSO, USE OF AUTOPLT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT TO EASE WORKLOAD AND ENSURE MORE PRECISE ACFT CTL CURING ALL THE DISTRS DURING THAT PHASE OF FLT.

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.