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!