Narrative:

On flight departure lambert field for nashville tn, we experienced a 'tail comp temperature high' light. While climbing to 5000' we initiated the 'tail compartment temperature high' checklist. The procedure did not correct the problem and the remained illuminated. The captain had told departure control we had a problem and needed to return to lambert field. Upon further inquiry, the captain told the controller what the specific problem was and that assistance was required. The captain then contacted the flight service manager and told her we were returning while I continued flying the airplane, the captain notified the passengers. After completing the descent approach checklist, the F/a reported smoke in the left aft lav. An aft cabin door light illuminated and was inspected 'closed'. We then completed the 'landing checklist'. On short final the 'left reverser low' accumulator light came on. We were told by a ground observer (lined up for takeoff) that smoke was trailing the airplane. The tower mentioned that if we intended an evacuation, to plan on a right turn off. We saw the emergency equipment in place. Another ground observer made a comment about the smoke coming from the rear of the aircraft. The landing was made with the 'tail compartment, rear cabin door' and 'left reverser low' lights all on. All other indications were normal. The aircraft came to a stop on the runway near the turn off where the emergency equipment was parked. (First third of runway). The captain then picked up the PA and initiated the evacuation. The evacuation went smoothly and promptly. Wing exits along with the forward doors were used. All passengers were well clear of aircraft when the captain and I evacuated. No injuries were reported. It should be noted that we were unaware of the amount of smoke west/O the F/as and ground observers input. No observation of smoke was made by the tower controllers.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMERGENCY LNDG IN A RETURN LAND SITUATION AS ACFT EQUIPMENT PROBLEM WITH A POTENTIAL INFLT FIRE IS DETECTED BY OVERHEAT DETECTION SYSTEM. ACFT EVACUATED.

Narrative: ON FLT DEP LAMBERT FIELD FOR NASHVILLE TN, WE EXPERIENCED A 'TAIL COMP TEMP HIGH' LIGHT. WHILE CLBING TO 5000' WE INITIATED THE 'TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP HIGH' CHKLIST. THE PROC DID NOT CORRECT THE PROB AND THE REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE CAPT HAD TOLD DEP CTL WE HAD A PROB AND NEEDED TO RETURN TO LAMBERT FIELD. UPON FURTHER INQUIRY, THE CAPT TOLD THE CTLR WHAT THE SPECIFIC PROB WAS AND THAT ASSISTANCE WAS REQUIRED. THE CAPT THEN CONTACTED THE FLT SVC MGR AND TOLD HER WE WERE RETURNING WHILE I CONTINUED FLYING THE AIRPLANE, THE CAPT NOTIFIED THE PAXS. AFTER COMPLETING THE DSNT APCH CHKLIST, THE F/A RPTED SMOKE IN THE L AFT LAV. AN AFT CABIN DOOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WAS INSPECTED 'CLOSED'. WE THEN COMPLETED THE 'LNDG CHKLIST'. ON SHORT FINAL THE 'L REVERSER LOW' ACCUMULATOR LIGHT CAME ON. WE WERE TOLD BY A GND OBSERVER (LINED UP FOR TKOF) THAT SMOKE WAS TRAILING THE AIRPLANE. THE TWR MENTIONED THAT IF WE INTENDED AN EVACUATION, TO PLAN ON A R TURN OFF. WE SAW THE EMER EQUIP IN PLACE. ANOTHER GND OBSERVER MADE A COMMENT ABOUT THE SMOKE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE ACFT. THE LNDG WAS MADE WITH THE 'TAIL COMPARTMENT, REAR CABIN DOOR' AND 'L REVERSER LOW' LIGHTS ALL ON. ALL OTHER INDICATIONS WERE NORMAL. THE ACFT CAME TO A STOP ON THE RWY NEAR THE TURN OFF WHERE THE EMER EQUIP WAS PARKED. (FIRST THIRD OF RWY). THE CAPT THEN PICKED UP THE PA AND INITIATED THE EVACUATION. THE EVACUATION WENT SMOOTHLY AND PROMPTLY. WING EXITS ALONG WITH THE FORWARD DOORS WERE USED. ALL PAXS WERE WELL CLR OF ACFT WHEN THE CAPT AND I EVACUATED. NO INJURIES WERE RPTED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE W/O THE F/AS AND GND OBSERVERS INPUT. NO OBSERVATION OF SMOKE WAS MADE BY THE TWR CTLRS.

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.