ALTDEV -- ACFT STALL RECOVERY.

Narrative

WE WERE DSNDING FROM FL180 TO 10000 FT IN THE PUBLISHED HOLD AT ASORT. THE CAPT AND I WERE DISCUSSING SPD AND LEG LENGTHS AT DIFFERENT ALTS. THE FMC WAS ON AND AUTO TUNING BOTH RADIOS AND MAPS! I PUT MY HEAD DOWN TO REACH MY FLT BAG FOR CONFIRMATION ON SPDS IN HOLD! THE CAPT TURNED OFF THE AUTO THROTTLES (WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE). AS I WAS READING MY FACT SHEET THE CAPT SUDDENLY SAID 'OH NO.' THE ACFT HAD LEVELED AT 10000 FT WITH AUTOTHROTTLES OFF AND SLOWED DOWN TO APPROX 185 KTS (CLEAN). WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO A STALL! THE CAPT ADDED PWR AND LOWERED THE NOSE! I PUT THE FLAPS TO 1 DEG IN HOPES OF LOWERING OUR STALL SPD. WE GOT A BUFFET AND DSNDED FROM 10000 FT TO SOMEWHERE BTWN 9300 FT AND 9700 FT. THE RECOVERY WAS NORMAL AND WE STAYED IN HOLD FOR 2 MORE TURNS. SUGGESTIONS: 1) BOTH PLTS SHOULD HAVE MONITORED THE AIRSPD BETTER. 2) CAPT SHOULD INFORM THE FO THAT THE AUTOTHROTTLES ARE OFF. 3) WITH AUTOTHROTTLES OFF THE FLYING PLT SHOULD KEEP A HAND ON THE THRUST LEVERS. 4) FULLY AUTOMATED AIRPLANES CAN LULL YOU INTO COMPLACENCY AND THEN BITE YOU! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 294832: WHEN INITIATED VERT SPD DSCNT THE THROTTLES CAME UP PARTIALLY FOR SAME REASON SO I TURNED THEM OFF AS I WANTED ON IDLE DSCNT. I REMEMBER SAYING WHY IS IT DOING THAT AND CANCELING THE AUTOTHROTTLE DISCONNECT LIGHT. THIS CONFIGN (AUTOTHROTTLES OFF AND IN VERT SPD) IS NOT DISAPPROVED AND IN FACT IS THE STANDARD DSCNT PROFILE ON THE 737-200. I SELECTED A MODE CALLED LEVEL CHANGE WHICH GIVES YOU A SELECTED SPD. TWR SLOWED TO THIS SPD AND DID A DSCNT TOWARDS THE HOLD. WE PROGRAMMED INTO THE FMC AND I SHOWED A JUMP SEAT RIDER MOVE SLICK THE FMC COULD DO A HOLD AND HOW AUTOMATIC EVERYTHING WAS. A LOT WAS GOING ON AS I WAS TRYING TO MONITOR COMPANY; MY FRIEND; AND ATL. WE TOLD COMPANY WE WERE IN THE HOLD AND HOW MUCH GAS WE HAD. I WAS THINKING WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE OUR ALTERNATE TO A DIFFERENT AND CLOSER ONE. WE CHKED THE WX AT THIS NEW CHOICE.