An MD10 pilot conferred with the company regarding close 8 hour in a 24 hour scheduling prior to departure only to have a mechanical situation requiring return to departure station.

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Attributes
ACN	637061
Time
Date	200411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-10 Conversion
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : vacating altitude ground : taxi ground : holding ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 370
ASRS Report	637061
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

This event started with my questioning the company duty officer about possible duty time and block time exceedences, possibly the 8 in 24 rule. My ont-mem leg was 3 hours 58 mins and I was scheduled for 3 hours 57 mins outbound mem-lax. The duty officer advised me I would be legal even if there was a taxi out delay that would put me over 8 in 24. After a considerable taxi out delay, we departed mem. Immediately after takeoff, a 'tat probe heat' alert was displayed. The circuit breaker was heard to pop some time after the alert. We did our best to stay out of visible moisture and icing while I troubleshot the problem with appropriate checklist, which had very little guidance on consequences of loss of tat heat. The only reference to consequences of loss of tat heat was found in the MEL, which of course is for use prior to takeoff. The MEL limited flight to clear of icing conditions, and since it was impossible to continue the flight without entering visible moisture, I decided to dump fuel and return for uneventful landing at mem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD10 PLT CONFERRED WITH THE COMPANY REGARDING CLOSE 8 HR IN A 24 HR SCHEDULING PRIOR TO DEP ONLY TO HAVE A MECHANICAL SIT REQUIRING RETURN TO DEP STATION.

Narrative: THIS EVENT STARTED WITH MY QUESTIONING THE COMPANY DUTY OFFICER ABOUT POSSIBLE DUTY TIME AND BLOCK TIME EXCEEDENCES, POSSIBLY THE 8 IN 24 RULE. MY ONT-MEM LEG WAS 3 HRS 58 MINS AND I WAS SCHEDULED FOR 3 HRS 57 MINS OUTBOUND MEM-LAX. THE DUTY OFFICER ADVISED ME I WOULD BE LEGAL EVEN IF THERE WAS A TAXI OUT DELAY THAT WOULD PUT ME OVER 8 IN 24. AFTER A CONSIDERABLE TAXI OUT DELAY, WE DEPARTED MEM. IMMEDIATELY AFTER TKOF, A 'TAT PROBE HEAT' ALERT WAS DISPLAYED. THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS HEARD TO POP SOME TIME AFTER THE ALERT. WE DID OUR BEST TO STAY OUT OF VISIBLE MOISTURE AND ICING WHILE I TROUBLESHOT THE PROB WITH APPROPRIATE CHKLIST, WHICH HAD VERY LITTLE GUIDANCE ON CONSEQUENCES OF LOSS OF TAT HEAT. THE ONLY REF TO CONSEQUENCES OF LOSS OF TAT HEAT WAS FOUND IN THE MEL, WHICH OF COURSE IS FOR USE PRIOR TO TKOF. THE MEL LIMITED FLT TO CLR OF ICING CONDITIONS, AND SINCE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTINUE THE FLT WITHOUT ENTERING VISIBLE MOISTURE, I DECIDED TO DUMP FUEL AND RETURN FOR UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT MEM.

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.