B737 ng captain reported an in-flight turnback after multiple system failures.

Attributes
ACN	1699551
Time
Date	201911
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B737 Next Generation Undifferentiated
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Component
Aircraft Component	System Monitor: Indicating and Warning
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 127 Flight Crew Total 7139 Flight Crew Type 5747
Events
Anomaly	Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

Right after takeoff we had multiple system failures; to include the a/T (autothrottles); VNAV; the captain's F/D (flight director); and the autopilot. We continued the departure and assessed the situation while I hand flew the airplane. I reselected the a/T and they stayed on until I noticed they were not at climb power; but had pulled back to approximately 80 percent. I turned off the auto throttles and pushed up the power; then gave the airplane to the first officer (first officer); whose navigation systems seemed to be working. I advised ATC we needed to return to ZZZ because of the problem. ATC eventually [provided priority handling] for us. While the first officer was flying on autopilot I noticed the left engine only had been retarded to 70 percent by the a/T. We turned them back on seeing that everything on his side was working. At this point I took the airplane back and hand flew the plane with F/D; a/T and VNAV off. We were 20;000 lbs over weight so I flew a flaps 40 landing to lower the approach speed. I made a smooth landing and we required no further assistance. We made the appropriate log book entries.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 NG Captain reported an in-flight turnback after multiple system failures.

Narrative: Right after takeoff we had multiple system failures; to include the A/T (Autothrottles); VNAV; the Captain's F/D (Flight Director); and the autopilot. We continued the departure and assessed the situation while I hand flew the airplane. I reselected the A/T and they stayed on until I noticed they were not at climb power; but had pulled back to approximately 80 percent. I turned off the auto throttles and pushed up the power; then gave the airplane to the FO (First Officer); whose navigation systems seemed to be working. I advised ATC we needed to return to ZZZ because of the problem. ATC eventually [provided priority handling] for us. While the FO was flying on autopilot I noticed the left engine only had been retarded to 70 percent by the A/T. We turned them back on seeing that everything on his side was working. At this point I took the airplane back and hand flew the plane with F/D; A/T and VNAV off. We were 20;000 lbs over weight so I flew a flaps 40 landing to lower the approach speed. I made a smooth landing and we required no further assistance. We made the appropriate log book entries.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.