Narrative:

Shortly after takeoff and aft clean up the first officer observed the red (tail comp temperature high) light was illuminated. The captain was flying and instructed the first officer to inform ATC that we were coming back, and also we would need the emergency equipment. After accomplishing this the first officer did the red box items which were verified by the captain. Flight was revectored by ord TRACON to a 090 degree heading, then to a 360 degree heading and then cleared for a visibility approach to runway 27L, at approximately 2500' AGL the red light extinguished. We then told ord tower to cancel the need for the emergency equipment. During these series of event the captain informed the passenger that we would return for landing and the aircraft had suffered a minor malfunction. He then notified the F/a's that we had eliminated our problem. However, if the problem did recur that the captain would notify the using the prearranged evacuate/evacuation signal. Once back at the gate all passenger and crew disembarked the aircraft via a jet bridge. Maintenance and company ramp operations were notified in a timely manner. Once maintenance boarded the aircraft they determined that a clamp securing a high pressure temperature duct had broken in the tail compartment causing the sensor to illuminate the caution light. After determining the cause, the aircraft was removed from service. Supplemental information from acn 155362: while talking to approach control and looking for 27L ILS approach chart with captain turning final, altitude alerter went off. We were down to 3500'. I asked approach if we were cleared for approach. He said, 'well, I guess you are since I see that you have already descended to 3500'.' with potential fire in tail, I think strict adherence to ATC instructions took a back seat to other cockpit duties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG GOT A TAIL CONE OVERHEAT WARNING DURING CLIMBOUT FROM ORD. WHILE BEING VECTORED BACK TO ORD ALT DEVIATION EXCURSION FROM CLRNC ALT OCCURRED.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND AFT CLEAN UP THE F/O OBSERVED THE RED (TAIL COMP TEMP HIGH) LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND INSTRUCTED THE F/O TO INFORM ATC THAT WE WERE COMING BACK, AND ALSO WE WOULD NEED THE EMER EQUIP. AFTER ACCOMPLISHING THIS THE F/O DID THE RED BOX ITEMS WHICH WERE VERIFIED BY THE CAPT. FLT WAS REVECTORED BY ORD TRACON TO A 090 DEG HDG, THEN TO A 360 DEG HDG AND THEN CLRED FOR A VIS APCH TO RWY 27L, AT APPROX 2500' AGL THE RED LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. WE THEN TOLD ORD TWR TO CANCEL THE NEED FOR THE EMER EQUIP. DURING THESE SERIES OF EVENT THE CAPT INFORMED THE PAX THAT WE WOULD RETURN FOR LNDG AND THE ACFT HAD SUFFERED A MINOR MALFUNCTION. HE THEN NOTIFIED THE F/A'S THAT WE HAD ELIMINATED OUR PROB. HOWEVER, IF THE PROB DID RECUR THAT THE CAPT WOULD NOTIFY THE USING THE PREARRANGED EVAC SIGNAL. ONCE BACK AT THE GATE ALL PAX AND CREW DISEMBARKED THE ACFT VIA A JET BRIDGE. MAINT AND COMPANY RAMP OPS WERE NOTIFIED IN A TIMELY MANNER. ONCE MAINT BOARDED THE ACFT THEY DETERMINED THAT A CLAMP SECURING A HIGH PRESSURE TEMP DUCT HAD BROKEN IN THE TAIL COMPARTMENT CAUSING THE SENSOR TO ILLUMINATE THE CAUTION LIGHT. AFTER DETERMINING THE CAUSE, THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 155362: WHILE TALKING TO APCH CTL AND LOOKING FOR 27L ILS APCH CHART WITH CAPT TURNING FINAL, ALT ALERTER WENT OFF. WE WERE DOWN TO 3500'. I ASKED APCH IF WE WERE CLRED FOR APCH. HE SAID, 'WELL, I GUESS YOU ARE SINCE I SEE THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY DSNDED TO 3500'.' WITH POTENTIAL FIRE IN TAIL, I THINK STRICT ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS TOOK A BACK SEAT TO OTHER COCKPIT DUTIES.

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.