Narrative:

On takeoff runway 17R den; immediately after gear retraction the #2 engine filter bypass light illuminated. Flap retraction normal; requested intermediate leveloff. Xferred aircraft control; first officer ran filter bypass checklist; decided to return to den. Descent; approach; landing in den uneventful. Filter bypass light remained illuminated until on final approach. On maintenance investigation; fuel filter was unobstructed; final diagnosis was faulty sensor. Maintenance performed 2 checks of the system and found no irregularities. After 2.5 hour delay; took aircraft to destination uneventfully. First officer did an excellent job flying the aircraft during the initial master caution annunciation by focusing on the takeoff profile. My sense is that SOP compliance was a major factor in the smooth completion of the takeoff profile; and while feeling a sense of urgency because of the ramification of the filter bypass light; we were able to fall back on our SOP's to xfer aircraft control; run the appropriate checklists; notify the station and dispatch of our return; talk to the flight attendants and passenger and have ample time to plan and execute the approach. I think our training and our reliance on SOP's greatly contributed to the expeditious recovery of the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW EXPERIENCES A FILTER BYPASS WARNING LIGHT SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND AFTER FOLLOWING CHECKLIST PROCEDURES; RETURNS TO DEPARTURE AIRPORT.

Narrative: ON TKOF RWY 17R DEN; IMMEDIATELY AFTER GEAR RETRACTION THE #2 ENG FILTER BYPASS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. FLAP RETRACTION NORMAL; REQUESTED INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF. XFERRED ACFT CTL; FO RAN FILTER BYPASS CHKLIST; DECIDED TO RETURN TO DEN. DSCNT; APCH; LNDG IN DEN UNEVENTFUL. FILTER BYPASS LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL ON FINAL APCH. ON MAINT INVESTIGATION; FUEL FILTER WAS UNOBSTRUCTED; FINAL DIAGNOSIS WAS FAULTY SENSOR. MAINT PERFORMED 2 CHKS OF THE SYS AND FOUND NO IRREGULARITIES. AFTER 2.5 HR DELAY; TOOK ACFT TO DEST UNEVENTFULLY. FO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB FLYING THE ACFT DURING THE INITIAL MASTER CAUTION ANNUNCIATION BY FOCUSING ON THE TKOF PROFILE. MY SENSE IS THAT SOP COMPLIANCE WAS A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE SMOOTH COMPLETION OF THE TKOF PROFILE; AND WHILE FEELING A SENSE OF URGENCY BECAUSE OF THE RAMIFICATION OF THE FILTER BYPASS LIGHT; WE WERE ABLE TO FALL BACK ON OUR SOP'S TO XFER ACFT CTL; RUN THE APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS; NOTIFY THE STATION AND DISPATCH OF OUR RETURN; TALK TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX AND HAVE AMPLE TIME TO PLAN AND EXECUTE THE APCH. I THINK OUR TRAINING AND OUR RELIANCE ON SOP'S GREATLY CONTRIBUTED TO THE EXPEDITIOUS RECOVERY OF THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.