Narrative:

Climbing through 14000 for 15000. Autothrottles in 'climb detent,' autoplt off. Center says 'maintain 230, expedite through 18.' first officer wheels in 230 with the altitude knob. I did not look at FMA for the next 3 steps, had I done so, none of the following would have occurred. First, I added gentle back pressure to comply with the 'expedite' request. I noticed that I was not getting the rate of climb I expected, and scanned what I consider primary instruments. Engines were at idle! I immediately disconnected automatic throttles, and rescanned. Still at idle! I selected ignition on and placed power in mct notch. A rescan indicated continued deterioration of climb rate and idle thrust! I then selected toga thrust, and the engines responded. We never lost altitude, but we certainly were slow in complying with the expedite request. There were 3 pilots in the cockpit, all were aware of my actions since I verbally called out each action and the engine condition. Things happened fast, since I did not wish to waste any time getting the engines out of idle, and I may not have allowed 'spool-up time' while in the mct throttle position. The medium large transport has a thrust-lock mode when automatic throttles are in the climb detent, an automatic throttle disconnect will freeze the thrust at whatever setting existed prior to disconnect. The automatic throttle system had obviously captured 15000 ft as I attempted to 'expedite' to 180, and had I scanned the FMA I would have noted that 'capture.' and even though the throttles do not move, an orange flashing throttle link on the FMA would have alerted me to the engine/automatic throttle modes as I progressed toward the 'fire wall.' I personally do not fool around with automatic system when they do unexpected things. I disconnect first and ask questions later! The thrust lock mode could conceivably be a problem if not clearly understood, and it is now my opinion that this little experience was more valuable to me than a month of ground school!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DETERIORATING RATE OF CLB.

Narrative: CLBING THROUGH 14000 FOR 15000. AUTOTHROTTLES IN 'CLB DETENT,' AUTOPLT OFF. CTR SAYS 'MAINTAIN 230, EXPEDITE THROUGH 18.' FO WHEELS IN 230 WITH THE ALT KNOB. I DID NOT LOOK AT FMA FOR THE NEXT 3 STEPS, HAD I DONE SO, NONE OF THE FOLLOWING WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. FIRST, I ADDED GENTLE BACK PRESSURE TO COMPLY WITH THE 'EXPEDITE' REQUEST. I NOTICED THAT I WAS NOT GETTING THE RATE OF CLB I EXPECTED, AND SCANNED WHAT I CONSIDER PRIMARY INSTS. ENGS WERE AT IDLE! I IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED AUTO THROTTLES, AND RESCANNED. STILL AT IDLE! I SELECTED IGNITION ON AND PLACED PWR IN MCT NOTCH. A RESCAN INDICATED CONTINUED DETERIORATION OF CLB RATE AND IDLE THRUST! I THEN SELECTED TOGA THRUST, AND THE ENGS RESPONDED. WE NEVER LOST ALT, BUT WE CERTAINLY WERE SLOW IN COMPLYING WITH THE EXPEDITE REQUEST. THERE WERE 3 PLTS IN THE COCKPIT, ALL WERE AWARE OF MY ACTIONS SINCE I VERBALLY CALLED OUT EACH ACTION AND THE ENG CONDITION. THINGS HAPPENED FAST, SINCE I DID NOT WISH TO WASTE ANY TIME GETTING THE ENGS OUT OF IDLE, AND I MAY NOT HAVE ALLOWED 'SPOOL-UP TIME' WHILE IN THE MCT THROTTLE POS. THE MLG HAS A THRUST-LOCK MODE WHEN AUTO THROTTLES ARE IN THE CLB DETENT, AN AUTO THROTTLE DISCONNECT WILL FREEZE THE THRUST AT WHATEVER SETTING EXISTED PRIOR TO DISCONNECT. THE AUTO THROTTLE SYS HAD OBVIOUSLY CAPTURED 15000 FT AS I ATTEMPTED TO 'EXPEDITE' TO 180, AND HAD I SCANNED THE FMA I WOULD HAVE NOTED THAT 'CAPTURE.' AND EVEN THOUGH THE THROTTLES DO NOT MOVE, AN ORANGE FLASHING THROTTLE LINK ON THE FMA WOULD HAVE ALERTED ME TO THE ENG/AUTO THROTTLE MODES AS I PROGRESSED TOWARD THE 'FIRE WALL.' I PERSONALLY DO NOT FOOL AROUND WITH AUTOMATIC SYS WHEN THEY DO UNEXPECTED THINGS. I DISCONNECT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER! THE THRUST LOCK MODE COULD CONCEIVABLY BE A PROBLEM IF NOT CLRLY UNDERSTOOD, AND IT IS NOW MY OPINION THAT THIS LITTLE EXPERIENCE WAS MORE VALUABLE TO ME THAN A MONTH OF GND SCHOOL!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.