MD-82
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Total 13500
Troubleshooting; Workload
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; Flight Crew FLC complied w / Automation / Advisory; General Declared Emergency; General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Aircraft
I was pilot monitoring. Start; taxi; takeoff; and initial climb were all normal. At approximately FL220; Master Warning came on with TAIL COMP TEMP HIGH annunciator. Captain leveled at FL230 and I notified ATC that we were leveling. We accomplished the memory items; several seconds later; the annunciator extinguished. I referenced the QRH and completed the checklist. The decision was made to return to the departure airport. Descent was uneventful and we declared an emergency. We were given a discrete Tower frequency and were able to communicate with ARFF. We requested ARFF to follow us and informed Tower we would be stopping on the runway to let ARFF inspect the tail area. Landing was normal. Once stopped; ARFF indicated no excessive heat from the tail area. We taxied to the gate with ARFF following us. Maintenance inspected the tail section and shortly there after took the aircraft out of service. We changed equipment and departed to our filed destination.
Landed uneventfully and stopped on runway. Advised passengers to remain seated; but retracted spoilers and commanded flaps to 28 in case evacuation became necessary. ARFF advised there was no excessive heat radiating from the tail cone area; so taxied to gate.Increased inspections or 'beefing up' of high pressure ducting in tail cone compartment.
An MD-82 TAIL COMP TEMP HIGH and Master Caution alerted during climb so the QRH was completed where upon the warning ceased but an emergency was declared and the flight returned to the departure airport.