FLT ATTENDANT RPT; B767; IAD-LAX; RETURN TO IAD DUE TO ENG PROBS; MAINT HISTORY. CAPT REFUSED TO FLY PLANE.

Narrative

ABOUT 15 MINS AFTER TKOF; THE CAPT ADVISED US THAT THEY HAD A 'HOT' INDICATION ON OUR R-HAND ENG. HE SAID WE WERE RETURNING TO THE ARPT (IAD). IT TOOK ABOUT 30 MINS TO GET BACK TO THE ARPT. MAINT SEEMED TO THINK THE ACFT WAS SAFE; BUT THE CAPT CHOSE NOT TO TAKE THE PLANE; SINCE IT HAD A LONG HISTORY OF ACFT MAINT PROBS. ACFT IS A VERY OLD B767 AND HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROBS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THEY CIRCLED FOR 45 MINS; BUT STILL LANDED 'HVY.' FIRE TRUCKS ESCORTED THEM DOWN THE RWY. HOWEVER; THEY DID NOT NEED TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EVAC. SHE NEVER FOUND OUT EXACTLY WHAT THE PROB WITH THE 'OVERHEAT' ENG INDICATOR WAS; BUT THAT MAINT RAN A SERIES OF TESTS AND TOLD THE CAPT THAT THEY WOULD 'SIGN IT OFF' TO FLY. THE CAPT TOLD HER HE SAID 'NO;' BECAUSE OF THE NEGATIVE HISTORY IN THE LOGBOOK ABOUT IT; INCLUDING A THROTTLE PROB THE WK BEFORE; WHERE THE PLANE COULD BARELY GET OFF THE GND. THE AIRLINE CANCELED THE FLT; AS THERE WAS NO AVAILABLE AIRPLANES TO USE; AND THE CREW WENT HOME.