Narrative:

Approximately 300 ft after takeoff, we got a tail compartment high temperature light and a master warning light. The captain continued the climb out while I performed the red box. After approximately 1 min, the light extinguished. We told ATC we needed an immediate return and were cleared a right downwind and to 3000 ft. While executing the checklist we climbed to 3400 ft then corrected down. TCASII showed no traffic. We returned for an overweight landing. Although we did not declare an emergency, the tower controller was referring to us as one on the radio so we thought that was sufficient. We landed and taxied to the gate uneventfully. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the first officer reporter stated that after the postflt inspection that maintenance had found a loose connection, '...somewhere back in the tail....' he had heard the part name but could not recall the exact definition of it at this time. It was part of the high pressure air bleed system that supplies hot air for the tail anti-icing system. He further stated that the airline operations department had put out an operational bulletin to the flight crew's about the noted increase in tail compartment high temperature indications that have resulted in a return land after a departure from a primary airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 RETURN LAND AFTER THE MASTER CAUTION WARNING SYS INDICATES A HIGH TEMP INDICATION IN THE TAIL COMPARTMENT AT DFW, TX.

Narrative: APPROX 300 FT AFTER TKOF, WE GOT A TAIL COMPARTMENT HIGH TEMP LIGHT AND A MASTER WARNING LIGHT. THE CAPT CONTINUED THE CLBOUT WHILE I PERFORMED THE RED BOX. AFTER APPROX 1 MIN, THE LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. WE TOLD ATC WE NEEDED AN IMMEDIATE RETURN AND WERE CLRED A R DOWNWIND AND TO 3000 FT. WHILE EXECUTING THE CHKLIST WE CLBED TO 3400 FT THEN CORRECTED DOWN. TCASII SHOWED NO TFC. WE RETURNED FOR AN OVERWT LNDG. ALTHOUGH WE DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER, THE TWR CTLR WAS REFERRING TO US AS ONE ON THE RADIO SO WE THOUGHT THAT WAS SUFFICIENT. WE LANDED AND TAXIED TO THE GATE UNEVENTFULLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE FO RPTR STATED THAT AFTER THE POSTFLT INSPECTION THAT MAINT HAD FOUND A LOOSE CONNECTION, '...SOMEWHERE BACK IN THE TAIL....' HE HAD HEARD THE PART NAME BUT COULD NOT RECALL THE EXACT DEFINITION OF IT AT THIS TIME. IT WAS PART OF THE HIGH PRESSURE AIR BLEED SYS THAT SUPPLIES HOT AIR FOR THE TAIL ANTI-ICING SYS. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE AIRLINE OPS DEPT HAD PUT OUT AN OPERATIONAL BULLETIN TO THE FLC'S ABOUT THE NOTED INCREASE IN TAIL COMPARTMENT HIGH TEMP INDICATIONS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN A RETURN LAND AFTER A DEP FROM A PRIMARY ARPT.

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.