Narrative:

Maximum power takeoff required. #2 engine nose cowl a/I was deferred inoperative (open). First officer serving as PF. At approximately 5000 ft MSL to 8000 ft MSL at climb power in the clean confign. Level 3 alert (#2 a/I duct overheat) illuminated. Aircraft was stabilized. QRH phase 1 procedure was performed. As throttle #2 was retarded to idle, the level 3 alert stopped. QRH gives no relief. We leveled between 10000 ft and 11000 ft. #2 engine was shut down by direction. We informed departure of our need to return. No fuel was dumped. Return to ZZZ was immediately initiated. Discretionary descent was immediately granted. Situation requiring our return and information about the engine shutdown was communicated with ATC in the downwind at approximately 6000 ft MSL, along with our request for emergency equipment for the landing, and a request for runway 18C. We 'tested' the fire warning system prior to beginning the approach. All system tested normal, meaning the detection system were functioning normally. Vectors were taken until all our checklists, ACARS communication and duties stabilized. Turned toward the localizer. Visual reference to the runway was maintained for a 14 mi final. Captain assumed the controls and made an uneventful landing. Clearing the runway, fire trucks inspected our tail section. They saw no indication of any fire or scorching on the tail area. One truck followed us to parking.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 FLT CREW SHUTS DOWN #2 ENG DUE TO 'AI' DUCT OVERHEAT, DECLARES AN EMER, AND RETURNS TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: MAX PWR TKOF REQUIRED. #2 ENG NOSE COWL A/I WAS DEFERRED INOP (OPEN). FO SERVING AS PF. AT APPROX 5000 FT MSL TO 8000 FT MSL AT CLB PWR IN THE CLEAN CONFIGN. LEVEL 3 ALERT (#2 A/I DUCT OVERHEAT) ILLUMINATED. ACFT WAS STABILIZED. QRH PHASE 1 PROC WAS PERFORMED. AS THROTTLE #2 WAS RETARDED TO IDLE, THE LEVEL 3 ALERT STOPPED. QRH GIVES NO RELIEF. WE LEVELED BTWN 10000 FT AND 11000 FT. #2 ENG WAS SHUT DOWN BY DIRECTION. WE INFORMED DEP OF OUR NEED TO RETURN. NO FUEL WAS DUMPED. RETURN TO ZZZ WAS IMMEDIATELY INITIATED. DISCRETIONARY DSCNT WAS IMMEDIATELY GRANTED. SIT REQUIRING OUR RETURN AND INFO ABOUT THE ENG SHUTDOWN WAS COMMUNICATED WITH ATC IN THE DOWNWIND AT APPROX 6000 FT MSL, ALONG WITH OUR REQUEST FOR EMER EQUIP FOR THE LNDG, AND A REQUEST FOR RWY 18C. WE 'TESTED' THE FIRE WARNING SYS PRIOR TO BEGINNING THE APCH. ALL SYS TESTED NORMAL, MEANING THE DETECTION SYS WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. VECTORS WERE TAKEN UNTIL ALL OUR CHKLISTS, ACARS COM AND DUTIES STABILIZED. TURNED TOWARD THE LOC. VISUAL REF TO THE RWY WAS MAINTAINED FOR A 14 MI FINAL. CAPT ASSUMED THE CTLS AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CLRING THE RWY, FIRE TRUCKS INSPECTED OUR TAIL SECTION. THEY SAW NO INDICATION OF ANY FIRE OR SCORCHING ON THE TAIL AREA. ONE TRUCK FOLLOWED US TO PARKING.

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.