A DASH 8 FLT CREW INADVERTENTLY MISSET THE CONDITION LEVERS. AFTER CONSULTING WITH MAINT THEY DECIDED TO RETURN TO THEIR DEPT ARPT.

Narrative

DURING INITIAL CLBOUT FROM ZZZ; AS THE PLT MONITORING; THE CONDITION LEVERS WERE INADVERTENTLY MOVED BELOW THE PROPS 850 DETENT AFTER THE FLAPS WERE SET TO ZERO. CONDITION LEVERS WERE IMMEDIATELY RESET TO THE PROPS 850 DETENT WHILE NOTING THE ILLUMINATION OF THE MASTER CAUTION LIGHT; #1 PEC AND #2 PEC CAUTION LIGHTS; ALONG WITH A POWERPLANT ENG DISPLAY MESSAGE AND PROP RPM'S INDICATING A STEADY 1060. CLB CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. QRH WAS REFED. AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE IS NO SPECIFIC QRH PROC FOR DUAL PEC CAUTION LIGHTS. THE SINGLE PEC LIGHT CHKLIST WAS USED AS A REF GUIDE TO INCLUDE THE INCREASED LNDG DISTANCES AND NOT GOING BELOW FLT IDLE DURING LNDG. AFTER ASSESSING THE SITUATION AND DISCUSSING OUR OPTIONS WITH THE FO; IT WAS AGREED THAT OUR BEST COURSE OF ACTION WAS TO RETURN TO ZZZ. ALL APPLICABLE CHKLISTS WERE ACCOMPLISHED AND APCH PROVIDED VECTORS TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE WHERE MAINT MET THE ACFT; CLRED THE WRITE-UP AND RETURNED THE ACFT TO SVC. WE WERE TOLD THAT TWR HAD DECLARED AN EMER FOR US. STRESS VIGILANCE WHEN MOVING CONDITION LEVERS TO INCLUDE THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE CONCURRENTLY WHILE COMMUNICATING WITH ATC; OR WHILE OPERATING ANY OTHER KNOB SWITCH; BUTTON; OR DIAL IN THE ACFT. HAVE MANUFACTURER PROVIDE A MORE POSITIVE HUMP OR GATE BELOW THE 850 DETENT. IT IS NOTED THAT THE FLAP AND PWR LEVERS HAVE TRIGGERS TO MOVE THEM IN AND OUT OF DETENTS WHICH PRECLUDE INADVERTENT MOVEMENT. CHANGE CLB/FLOW CHKLIST SO THAT IT IS ACCOMPLISHED OUTSIDE OF OR ABOVE BUSY TERMINAL AREAS. PROVIDE QRH GUIDANCE FOR DUAL PEC CAUTION LIGHTS.