Narrative:

We had a great deal of trouble dealing with las ground operations and keeping our aircraft cool. We ran the APU for over an hour in 106 degree heat due to a very hot airplane and very little help in las. On rotation we got a tail comp high temperature light, which due to hot WX and a slow climb, stayed on for over 4 mins. The light went out when we leveled off. I decided to return to land and was convinced this was due to an overheated APU. We declared an emergency for an overweight landing. We took a long downwind before turning final both to complete checklists, and burn down a little, then proceeded to an uneventful landing at 138200 pounds. Although I was positive of the problem being caused by an overheated APU, it had been bordering between the yellow and red arc while at the gate, thus my problems with las ground operations. I have been on the aircraft long enough that I decided to land anyhow. Turns out the problem was a blown duct on the left pack. Although I understand the captain's discretion to continue bullet in our procedures, I would highly encourage that bullet to be including a statement about long flts versus short. I have had 4 of these in my 11 plus years on this aircraft, and I have had two blown ducts, plus other mechanical problems. The mechanic we spoke with said this could have potentially caused a fire, or at the very least, pressurization issues at altitude.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW HAD THE TAIL COMPARTMENT TEMP HIGH LIGHT ILLUMINATE DEPARTING LAS.

Narrative: WE HAD A GREAT DEAL OF TROUBLE DEALING WITH LAS GND OPS AND KEEPING OUR ACFT COOL. WE RAN THE APU FOR OVER AN HR IN 106 DEG HEAT DUE TO A VERY HOT AIRPLANE AND VERY LITTLE HELP IN LAS. ON ROTATION WE GOT A TAIL COMP HIGH TEMP LIGHT, WHICH DUE TO HOT WX AND A SLOW CLB, STAYED ON FOR OVER 4 MINS. THE LIGHT WENT OUT WHEN WE LEVELED OFF. I DECIDED TO RETURN TO LAND AND WAS CONVINCED THIS WAS DUE TO AN OVERHEATED APU. WE DECLARED AN EMER FOR AN OVERWEIGHT LNDG. WE TOOK A LONG DOWNWIND BEFORE TURNING FINAL BOTH TO COMPLETE CHKLISTS, AND BURN DOWN A LITTLE, THEN PROCEEDED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AT 138200 LBS. ALTHOUGH I WAS POSITIVE OF THE PROB BEING CAUSED BY AN OVERHEATED APU, IT HAD BEEN BORDERING BTWN THE YELLOW AND RED ARC WHILE AT THE GATE, THUS MY PROBS WITH LAS GND OPS. I HAVE BEEN ON THE ACFT LONG ENOUGH THAT I DECIDED TO LAND ANYHOW. TURNS OUT THE PROB WAS A BLOWN DUCT ON THE L PACK. ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND THE CAPT'S DISCRETION TO CONTINUE BULLET IN OUR PROCS, I WOULD HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THAT BULLET TO BE INCLUDING A STATEMENT ABOUT LONG FLTS VERSUS SHORT. I HAVE HAD 4 OF THESE IN MY 11 PLUS YEARS ON THIS ACFT, AND I HAVE HAD TWO BLOWN DUCTS, PLUS OTHER MECHANICAL PROBS. THE MECH WE SPOKE WITH SAID THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A FIRE, OR AT THE VERY LEAST, PRESSURIZATION ISSUES AT ALT.

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.