CL65 crew shuts down left engine when thrust reverser off would have sufficed.

Attributes
ACN	713888
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : zzz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 14200 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	713888
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 3700 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	714467
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Climbing out of ZZZ on through 15000 ft received 'left reverse unlocked' caution message. Called for QRH checklist. Checklist required affected 'thrust reverser' to be turned off. Affected 'thrust lever' was mistakenly read so we shut down the left engine and ran the single engine procedures checklist. After that we declared an emergency; returned to ZZZ and landed without further incident. I believe the incident occurred because we were in a busy state; trying to get turned back toward the airport and advising ATC of the situation. Since we were on a SID out of ZZZ; I felt it important to coordinate with ATC before slowing airspeed and climb. I was the PF and my first officer was running the checklist. I should have found time to double check that we were following the correct procedures prior to shutting down the engine.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 CREW SHUTS DOWN L ENG WHEN THRUST REVERSER OFF WOULD HAVE SUFFICED.

Narrative: CLBING OUT OF ZZZ ON THROUGH 15000 FT RECEIVED 'L REVERSE UNLOCKED' CAUTION MESSAGE. CALLED FOR QRH CHKLIST. CHKLIST REQUIRED AFFECTED 'THRUST REVERSER' TO BE TURNED OFF. AFFECTED 'THRUST LEVER' WAS MISTAKENLY READ SO WE SHUT DOWN THE L ENG AND RAN THE SINGLE ENG PROCS CHKLIST. AFTER THAT WE DECLARED AN EMER; RETURNED TO ZZZ AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE WE WERE IN A BUSY STATE; TRYING TO GET TURNED BACK TOWARD THE ARPT AND ADVISING ATC OF THE SITUATION. SINCE WE WERE ON A SID OUT OF ZZZ; I FELT IT IMPORTANT TO COORDINATE WITH ATC BEFORE SLOWING AIRSPD AND CLB. I WAS THE PF AND MY FO WAS RUNNING THE CHKLIST. I SHOULD HAVE FOUND TIME TO DOUBLE CHK THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE CORRECT PROCS PRIOR TO SHUTTING DOWN THE ENG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.