Narrative:

A warning light in cockpit indicated an overheating problem. The flight was initially delayed while mechanics investigated. After their investigation it was determined that all was okay to go. After takeoff (approximately 30 mins), warning lights and horns went off, again, in the cockpit. We returned to dfw landing 'heavy.' landing was good, fire equipment followed us to gate. However, pilots could feel heat emanating from the cockpit floor. At this point, a first class passenger called me over to call my attention to the fact that his briefcase under his seat was extremely hot to the touch. Since we were almost to the gate, captain gave a PA, telling passenger to proceed to door immediately after seat belt sign went off, emphasizing not to take anything with them. Just get up and get off the airplane. The only problem incurred was making the ground staff understand that this was a potentially serious problem. Due to customs restraints and in-transit rules, they were hesitant about letting people off. However, the captain made it understood that, even though we were using the jet bridge, this was serious and should be considered an evacuate/evacuation. Needless to say, passenger still wanted to collect all their belongings. I had to make a couple of PA's to get them moving. All went well and there was no panic. Flight was eventually canceled. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that she didn't know the source of the overheating, but was felt mostly on the floor in first class and in the cockpit. There was no smoke in the cabin, and people remained pretty calm.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT, B767-300, DFW-ORY, 30 MINS AFTER TKOF, OVERHEATING OCCURRED, EMER DECLARED, RETURN TO DFW. EVAC THROUGH JETWAY.

Narrative: A WARNING LIGHT IN COCKPIT INDICATED AN OVERHEATING PROB. THE FLT WAS INITIALLY DELAYED WHILE MECHS INVESTIGATED. AFTER THEIR INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ALL WAS OKAY TO GO. AFTER TKOF (APPROX 30 MINS), WARNING LIGHTS AND HORNS WENT OFF, AGAIN, IN THE COCKPIT. WE RETURNED TO DFW LNDG 'HVY.' LNDG WAS GOOD, FIRE EQUIP FOLLOWED US TO GATE. HOWEVER, PLTS COULD FEEL HEAT EMANATING FROM THE COCKPIT FLOOR. AT THIS POINT, A FIRST CLASS PAX CALLED ME OVER TO CALL MY ATTN TO THE FACT THAT HIS BRIEFCASE UNDER HIS SEAT WAS EXTREMELY HOT TO THE TOUCH. SINCE WE WERE ALMOST TO THE GATE, CAPT GAVE A PA, TELLING PAX TO PROCEED TO DOOR IMMEDIATELY AFTER SEAT BELT SIGN WENT OFF, EMPHASIZING NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING WITH THEM. JUST GET UP AND GET OFF THE AIRPLANE. THE ONLY PROB INCURRED WAS MAKING THE GND STAFF UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WAS A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS PROB. DUE TO CUSTOMS RESTRAINTS AND IN-TRANSIT RULES, THEY WERE HESITANT ABOUT LETTING PEOPLE OFF. HOWEVER, THE CAPT MADE IT UNDERSTOOD THAT, EVEN THOUGH WE WERE USING THE JET BRIDGE, THIS WAS SERIOUS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EVAC. NEEDLESS TO SAY, PAX STILL WANTED TO COLLECT ALL THEIR BELONGINGS. I HAD TO MAKE A COUPLE OF PA'S TO GET THEM MOVING. ALL WENT WELL AND THERE WAS NO PANIC. FLT WAS EVENTUALLY CANCELED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE SOURCE OF THE OVERHEATING, BUT WAS FELT MOSTLY ON THE FLOOR IN FIRST CLASS AND IN THE COCKPIT. THERE WAS NO SMOKE IN THE CABIN, AND PEOPLE REMAINED PRETTY CALM.

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.