AN MD80 WAS DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE AFTER A REJECTED TKOF FOR A TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT WARNING WITH NO MAINT ACTION OR LOG RPT.

Narrative

BOTH ENGS STARTED DURING PUSHBACK. PACKS ON L ENG AND APU AIR R SIDE DURING TAXI. NORMAL TAXI -- APPROX 5 MINS TO TKOF. APU AIR TURNED OFF JUST PRIOR TO TKOF TO ACCOMMODATE PAX -- ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN APU INFLT. FO TKOF -- MAX THRUST. ADVANCED THROTTLES NORMALLY AND ENGAGED AUTOTHROTTLES. AT 80 KTS CALL; I SAW MASTER WARNING LIGHT -- VERIFIED IT WAS TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT LIGHT; ELECTED TO REJECT TKOF (APPROX 90 KTS); REVERSE THRUST/SPOILERS/MINIMUM BRAKING ADEQUATE; TAXIED OFF RWY (PUT US ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM ACR RAMP); SHUT DOWN APU AS WE CLRED RWY. STOPPED ACFT; MADE CABIN ANNOUNCEMENTS. FO READ TAIL COMPARTMENT OVERHEAT CHKLIST. BY THE TIME WE GOT THE CHKLIST OUT AND STARTED TO RUN ITEMS; THE LIGHT WAS OUT. ASKED FLT ATTENDANT TO CONFIRM NOTHING ABNORMAL (HEAT/SMOKE) IN REAR -- CONFIRMED. DUE TO LOCATION OF RAMP; WE ASKED ACR GND PERSONNEL TO LOWER AFT STAIR AND ALSO VERIFY -- CONFIRMED. FO AND I DISCUSSED AND AGREED THAT EXCESSIVE HEAT WAS CAUSED BY COMBINATION OF HIGH AMBIENT HEAT/LACK OF COOLING AIR (TAILWIND DURING TAXI) AND APU NOT RUNNING DURING TKOF. I ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT -- UNEVENTFUL FLT TO STL. FLT NEVER RETURNED TO GATE AT ABQ. NOTIFIED MCI AND STL MAINT ENRTE.