An A320 returned to land when the only operating pack over heated during the climb after takeoff. Th...

Attributes
ACN	796729
Time
Date	200807
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	796729
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical maintenance problem : improper maintenance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : landed as precaution
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Pack #1 was on MEL for the 5TH day; pack #2 was working overtime to keep the aircraft cool (90 degrees in the cabin) while we waited 30 mins to depart ZZZ. Climbing through 17000 ft pack #2 overheated giving us an ECAM message. ECAM warning -- pack #2 overheat. ECAM was complied with. ATC was notified and descent initiated. Held at ZZZZ2 while company (dispatch; operations; maintenance) was notified and all checklists and performance data were complied with. Decided on an overweight landing instead of holding for 2 hours to burn fuel with an interior aircraft temperature in the 90's. Overweight landing was executed at 152800 pounds with sink rate of -50 ft vertical speed. Why? Because we cannot operate on 1 pack in the desert during summer! Avoid single pack operations in the desert during the summer months. Also; don't let pack MEL's go for 5 days. That puts a lot of stress on the operating pack. And why was a single pack aircraft going to ZZZ. I thought we were trying to save fuel.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 RETURNED TO LAND WHEN THE ONLY OPERATING PACK OVER HEATED DURING THE CLB AFTER TKOF. THE OTHER PACK WAS MEL'ED IN HOT DESERT WEATHER.

Narrative: PACK #1 WAS ON MEL FOR THE 5TH DAY; PACK #2 WAS WORKING OVERTIME TO KEEP THE ACFT COOL (90 DEGS IN THE CABIN) WHILE WE WAITED 30 MINS TO DEPART ZZZ. CLBING THROUGH 17000 FT PACK #2 OVERHEATED GIVING US AN ECAM MESSAGE. ECAM WARNING -- PACK #2 OVERHEAT. ECAM WAS COMPLIED WITH. ATC WAS NOTIFIED AND DSCNT INITIATED. HELD AT ZZZZ2 WHILE COMPANY (DISPATCH; OPS; MAINT) WAS NOTIFIED AND ALL CHKLISTS AND PERFORMANCE DATA WERE COMPLIED WITH. DECIDED ON AN OVERWT LNDG INSTEAD OF HOLDING FOR 2 HRS TO BURN FUEL WITH AN INTERIOR ACFT TEMP IN THE 90'S. OVERWT LNDG WAS EXECUTED AT 152800 LBS WITH SINK RATE OF -50 FT VERT SPD. WHY? BECAUSE WE CANNOT OPERATE ON 1 PACK IN THE DESERT DURING SUMMER! AVOID SINGLE PACK OPS IN THE DESERT DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. ALSO; DON'T LET PACK MEL'S GO FOR 5 DAYS. THAT PUTS A LOT OF STRESS ON THE OPERATING PACK. AND WHY WAS A SINGLE PACK ACFT GOING TO ZZZ. I THOUGHT WE WERE TRYING TO SAVE FUEL.

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.

An A320 returned to land when the only operating pack over heated during the climb after takeoff. The other pack was MEL'ed in hot desert weather.