NTSB Issues Safety Recommendation to Boeing Regarding 777 Autothrottle Behavior

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued a safety recommendation, designated as A-14-056 and associated with investigation number DCA13MA120, addressed directly to The Boeing Company. This directive requires the manufacturer to revise the Boeing 777 Flight Crew Operating Manual. The specific update mandates the inclusion of a clear statement regarding autothrottle behavior under certain conditions. According to the recommendation, when the autopilot is turned off and both flight director switches are deactivated, the autothrottle mode must be explicitly defined as going to speed (SPD) mode. Furthermore, the manual must state that in this configuration, the system maintains the speed selected on the mode control panel. This update aims to ensure flight crews have accurate and specific procedural guidance for managing autothrottle modes during these particular operational states.