AN ACR MLG LANDED OVERWT AFTER A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Narrative

AFTER TKOF FROM STL AT APPROX 2000 FT MSL; OUR 'TAIL COMPARTMENT HIGH TEMP' WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. WE RAN THE CHKLIST AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT IN THE ALLOTTED TIME. WE PREPARED TO CONTINUE THE FLT AND RE-ESTABLISHED CLB THRUST WHEN THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AGAIN. WE ELECTED TO RETURN TO STL FOR AN OVERWT LNDG (APPROX 10000 LBS HIGH). IN THE MEANTIME; THE OVERTEMP LIGHT WENT OUT AND STAYED OUT. WE MADE A NORMAL LNDG WITH THE EMER EQUIP STANDING BY AS A PRECAUTION. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE WHERE MAINT INSPECTED THE TAIL AREA; RAN THE ENGS AND LEAK CHKED ALL DUCTING. THEY CHANGED BOTH TEMP SENSORS AND WE DEPARTED A SECOND TIME AFTER THE PROPER OVERWT LNDG CHKS AND MAINT LOGBOOK SIGNOFFS HAD BEEN MADE. THE EVENTS OF THE SECOND OVERWT LNDG WERE ALMOST IDENTICAL EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE OVERWT LNDG WAS ONLY 5000 LBS OVER MAX CERTIFIED LNDG WT. THE SECOND LNDG WAS NORMAL AND WE TAXIED TO THE GATE UNEVENTFULLY. MAINT TOOK OVER THE ACFT AND THE FLT WAS CANCELLED. THE CREW WAS RELEASED AND PAX RE-BOOKED ON ANOTHER FLT. 'IT WAS SAFER TO LAND OVERWT IN BOTH SITS.'