B757-200 returns to departure airport due to failed cockpit temperature controller.

Attributes
ACN	786025
Time
Date	200805
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	786025
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	786024
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Our previous attempt to depart was stopped by APU shutdown on pushback: as per the checklist during push; just prior to engine start; I turned off the packs one at a time; about 5 seconds apart. The APU detected a fault and shutdown automatically. We were tugged back to the gate and called out maintenance. After getting signed off by maintenance; our APU was now inoperative and deferred. We started both engines at the gate using ground equipment. Taxi and takeoff were normal with the exception of the flight deck temperature being slightly higher than normal (78 degrees F); but we were expecting that due to a previous maintenance log entry that documented it. On climb out; the flight deck temperature became uncontrollably hot. We tried full cold in automatic; then also in manual; to no avail. Temperature display in the cockpit confirmed the heat we felt at 90 degrees F and climbing. There was the associated 'airflow sound' in the cockpit of the heat being commanded full. There was no associated cockpit annunciation. We requested vectors close to ZZZ. We finally gained control of the temperature by turning the left pack off. We elected to return to ZZZ; not knowing if we had enough fuel for single-pack operations. The landing was normal -- under maximum landing weight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 RETURNS TO DEP ARPT DUE TO FAILED COCKPIT TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER.

Narrative: OUR PREVIOUS ATTEMPT TO DEPART WAS STOPPED BY APU SHUTDOWN ON PUSHBACK: AS PER THE CHKLIST DURING PUSH; JUST PRIOR TO ENG START; I TURNED OFF THE PACKS ONE AT A TIME; ABOUT 5 SECONDS APART. THE APU DETECTED A FAULT AND SHUTDOWN AUTOMATICALLY. WE WERE TUGGED BACK TO THE GATE AND CALLED OUT MAINT. AFTER GETTING SIGNED OFF BY MAINT; OUR APU WAS NOW INOP AND DEFERRED. WE STARTED BOTH ENGS AT THE GATE USING GND EQUIP. TAXI AND TKOF WERE NORMAL WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FLT DECK TEMP BEING SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN NORMAL (78 DEGS F); BUT WE WERE EXPECTING THAT DUE TO A PREVIOUS MAINT LOG ENTRY THAT DOCUMENTED IT. ON CLBOUT; THE FLT DECK TEMP BECAME UNCONTROLLABLY HOT. WE TRIED FULL COLD IN AUTO; THEN ALSO IN MANUAL; TO NO AVAIL. TEMP DISPLAY IN THE COCKPIT CONFIRMED THE HEAT WE FELT AT 90 DEGS F AND CLBING. THERE WAS THE ASSOCIATED 'AIRFLOW SOUND' IN THE COCKPIT OF THE HEAT BEING COMMANDED FULL. THERE WAS NO ASSOCIATED COCKPIT ANNUNCIATION. WE REQUESTED VECTORS CLOSE TO ZZZ. WE FINALLY GAINED CTL OF THE TEMP BY TURNING THE L PACK OFF. WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO ZZZ; NOT KNOWING IF WE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR SINGLE-PACK OPS. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL -- UNDER MAX LNDG WT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.