Fuel heat valve in transit light on. Cannon plug found loose. Contract maintenance signed off the cannon plug loose without reattaching the cannon plug but wiring the fuel heat valve closed as per their book. The valve was labeled backwards so after takeoff oil temperature went into the caution range and a return to land was made. The part was replaced and the flight continued on uneventfully.

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Attributes
ACN	337435
Time
Date	199605
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : msp tower : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	337435
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	337557
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

#1 fuel heat valve light showed 'in transit' upon arrival in minneapolis. Contract maintenance found cannon plug off fuel heat valve. They would not reconnect cannon plug, they said 'that's not in the book.' they then verified valve closed and signed off logbook. Shortly after takeoff #1 oil temperature went into caution band (total time in caution about 14 mins). Returned to msp. Further inspection revealed that fuel heat valve would work properly when cannon plug was installed, and that the marking plate indicating open/closed was installed backwards. Thus maintenance had in fact verified the valve full open (although the indication showed closed). This was the cause of the high oil temperature. Part was replaced and flight continued on uneventfully. Problem would not have occurred if red tape hadn't precluded maintenance from connecting cannon plug. Seems that we (the pilots) should have the authority/authorized to allow putting the aircraft into proper confign -- at least to check operation. Problem, of course, was compounded by improper installation of marking plate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FUEL HEAT VALVE IN TRANSIT LIGHT ON. CANNON PLUG FOUND LOOSE. CONTRACT MAINT SIGNED OFF THE CANNON PLUG LOOSE WITHOUT REATTACHING THE CANNON PLUG BUT WIRING THE FUEL HEAT VALVE CLOSED AS PER THEIR BOOK. THE VALVE WAS LABELED BACKWARDS SO AFTER TKOF OIL TEMP WENT INTO THE CAUTION RANGE AND A RETURN TO LAND WAS MADE. THE PART WAS REPLACED AND THE FLT CONTINUED ON UNEVENTFULLY.

Narrative: #1 FUEL HEAT VALVE LIGHT SHOWED 'IN TRANSIT' UPON ARR IN MINNEAPOLIS. CONTRACT MAINT FOUND CANNON PLUG OFF FUEL HEAT VALVE. THEY WOULD NOT RECONNECT CANNON PLUG, THEY SAID 'THAT'S NOT IN THE BOOK.' THEY THEN VERIFIED VALVE CLOSED AND SIGNED OFF LOGBOOK. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF #1 OIL TEMP WENT INTO CAUTION BAND (TOTAL TIME IN CAUTION ABOUT 14 MINS). RETURNED TO MSP. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT FUEL HEAT VALVE WOULD WORK PROPERLY WHEN CANNON PLUG WAS INSTALLED, AND THAT THE MARKING PLATE INDICATING OPEN/CLOSED WAS INSTALLED BACKWARDS. THUS MAINT HAD IN FACT VERIFIED THE VALVE FULL OPEN (ALTHOUGH THE INDICATION SHOWED CLOSED). THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE HIGH OIL TEMP. PART WAS REPLACED AND FLT CONTINUED ON UNEVENTFULLY. PROB WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF RED TAPE HADN'T PRECLUDED MAINT FROM CONNECTING CANNON PLUG. SEEMS THAT WE (THE PLTS) SHOULD HAVE THE AUTH TO ALLOW PUTTING THE ACFT INTO PROPER CONFIGN -- AT LEAST TO CHK OP. PROB, OF COURSE, WAS COMPOUNDED BY IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF MARKING PLATE.

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.