Narrative:

I fly for a commuter airline which has out station domiciles. After 4 days off, the captain and myself (both coming to work after 4 days off) found a modification done on our saab 340. The maintenance had installed power lever mechanical stops to be used during flight. The lever prevents inadvertent movements of the power levers aft of flight idle during flight. However, if engaged and not disengaged prior to touchdown, the pilot is unable to select beta range, thus using reverse thrust on rollout. Myself nor the captain were ever briefed on proper use of the device or received any simulator training in advance. After landing at the hub and checking our company mail files, we both found the alert bulletin on the installation and operation of the power lever stop. Such a modification calls for much better communication on part of the company with the pilot group. Dozens of crews completed flight segments this week at the company without any training whatsoever on the proper usage of the power lever stops. I wonder if the 'feds' would approve of such a procedure for notifying the 460 pilots at my airlines?? Doubt it!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF340B WAS MODIFIED BY THE COMPANY, PWR LEVER MECHANICAL STOP, TO BE USED INFLT TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF FLT LEVER BEYOND FLT IDLE. IF NOT DISENGAGED BEFORE LNDG, UNABLE TO SELECT BETA RANGE FOR REVERSING. NO BRIEFING OF THE FLC, AFTER 4 DAY OFF PERIOD.

Narrative: I FLY FOR A COMMUTER AIRLINE WHICH HAS OUT STATION DOMICILES. AFTER 4 DAYS OFF, THE CAPT AND MYSELF (BOTH COMING TO WORK AFTER 4 DAYS OFF) FOUND A MODIFICATION DONE ON OUR SAAB 340. THE MAINT HAD INSTALLED PWR LEVER MECHANICAL STOPS TO BE USED DURING FLT. THE LEVER PREVENTS INADVERTENT MOVEMENTS OF THE PWR LEVERS AFT OF FLT IDLE DURING FLT. HOWEVER, IF ENGAGED AND NOT DISENGAGED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE PLT IS UNABLE TO SELECT BETA RANGE, THUS USING REVERSE THRUST ON ROLLOUT. MYSELF NOR THE CAPT WERE EVER BRIEFED ON PROPER USE OF THE DEVICE OR RECEIVED ANY SIMULATOR TRAINING IN ADVANCE. AFTER LNDG AT THE HUB AND CHKING OUR COMPANY MAIL FILES, WE BOTH FOUND THE ALERT BULLETIN ON THE INSTALLATION AND OP OF THE PWR LEVER STOP. SUCH A MODIFICATION CALLS FOR MUCH BETTER COM ON PART OF THE COMPANY WITH THE PLT GROUP. DOZENS OF CREWS COMPLETED FLT SEGMENTS THIS WK AT THE COMPANY WITHOUT ANY TRAINING WHATSOEVER ON THE PROPER USAGE OF THE PWR LEVER STOPS. I WONDER IF THE 'FEDS' WOULD APPROVE OF SUCH A PROC FOR NOTIFYING THE 460 PLTS AT MY AIRLINES?? DOUBT IT!

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.