Return land when overheat fire detection alerts flight crew to aircraft equipment problem.

Attributes
ACN	187893
Time
Date	199108
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mht
State Reference	NH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mht tower : cos
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude landing other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : mht
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	187893
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Normal takeoff just prior to 10000 ft MSL. Red 'tail compartment overheat' light illuminated, leveled at 10000 ft, throttle back, told first officer to advise ATC of level off. Captain performed emergency 'tail compartment overheat' checklist, light extinguished. Captain reapplied climb power, red light reilluminated. Captain reduced thrust, declared an emergency to departure control and requested immediate return to mht and emergency equipment to be readied. Red light went out, but not knowing condition of tail compartment captain maintained emergency condition. Landing normal, during rollout mht tower was asked 'do you see smoke or flames from aircraft tail', answer was 'no'. Captain elected to have emergency equipment follow aircraft to gate where normal deplaning of passenger and inspection of aircraft was completed. Maintenance found several duct seals leaking, but no rupture. Note: previous captain of aircraft advised this captain was a 'cream puff'!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RETURN LAND WHEN OVERHEAT FIRE DETECTION ALERTS FLC TO ACFT EQUIP PROBLEM.

Narrative: NORMAL TKOF JUST PRIOR TO 10000 FT MSL. RED 'TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT' LIGHT ILLUMINATED, LEVELED AT 10000 FT, THROTTLE BACK, TOLD FO TO ADVISE ATC OF LEVEL OFF. CAPT PERFORMED EMER 'TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT' CHKLIST, LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. CAPT REAPPLIED CLB PWR, RED LIGHT REILLUMINATED. CAPT REDUCED THRUST, DECLARED AN EMER TO DEP CTL AND REQUESTED IMMEDIATE RETURN TO MHT AND EMER EQUIP TO BE READIED. RED LIGHT WENT OUT, BUT NOT KNOWING CONDITION OF TAIL COMPARTMENT CAPT MAINTAINED EMER CONDITION. LNDG NORMAL, DURING ROLLOUT MHT TWR WAS ASKED 'DO YOU SEE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM ACFT TAIL', ANSWER WAS 'NO'. CAPT ELECTED TO HAVE EMER EQUIP FOLLOW ACFT TO GATE WHERE NORMAL DEPLANING OF PAX AND INSPECTION OF ACFT WAS COMPLETED. MAINT FOUND SEVERAL DUCT SEALS LEAKING, BUT NO RUPTURE. NOTE: PREVIOUS CAPT OF ACFT ADVISED THIS CAPT WAS A 'CREAM PUFF'!

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.