MD80 flight crew experienced tail compartment temperature light, declared an emergency and landed.

Attributes
ACN	573356
Time
Date	200302
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : dhp.vortac
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 17000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon tracon : c90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	573356
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : compartment heat light other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : diverted to alternate flight crew : landed as precaution flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Got a warning light with a tail compartment temperature light. I ran the QRH checklist and the light stayed on. I then declared an emergency and called for a turn back to miami. The tail compartment temperature high light remained on until we reached about 5000 ft on the approach to runway 9L at miami. We made a heavy weight landing at 144500 pounds with a normal touchdown and rollout. The fire chief checked out the aircraft and brakes and said they were ok. I then asked the fire chief to follow the aircraft to the gate. No one was hurt or injured. The aircraft was deplaned and turned over to maintenance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW EXPERIENCED TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP LIGHT, DECLARED AN EMER AND LANDED.

Narrative: GOT A WARNING LIGHT WITH A TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP LIGHT. I RAN THE QRH CHKLIST AND THE LIGHT STAYED ON. I THEN DECLARED AN EMER AND CALLED FOR A TURN BACK TO MIAMI. THE TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP HIGH LIGHT REMAINED ON UNTIL WE REACHED ABOUT 5000 FT ON THE APCH TO RWY 9L AT MIAMI. WE MADE A HVY WT LNDG AT 144500 LBS WITH A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT. THE FIRE CHIEF CHKED OUT THE ACFT AND BRAKES AND SAID THEY WERE OK. I THEN ASKED THE FIRE CHIEF TO FOLLOW THE ACFT TO THE GATE. NO ONE WAS HURT OR INJURED. THE ACFT WAS DEPLANED AND TURNED OVER TO MAINT.

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.