Narrative:

After an uneventful takeoff and level off at (I believe) 8000 ft, we were cleared to a higher altitude. During the climb, as the so adjusted climb power, he noticed and advised us that the #2 throttle seemed stiff. A closer look revealed that the throttle could be advanced and the engine would respond normally only to a point near climb power. Further advancement of the throttle itself was possible but the engine did nothing. Retarding and advancing it worked normally but only to that same point. Beyond that point, it could be pushed near or to the forward stop with slightly increased pressure but when released, it would slowly move back to the point where the engine stopped accelerating. It seemed to us that the throttle linkage or cable had hung up. We had close to normal power, at least enough to do a reduced power takeoff back in ewr. We had normal engine operation up to that power setting. We continued to cle, wrote it up in the logbook, and advised cle maintenance when we called in range. Looking back, I believe I assumed the problem could not get worse. I feel we should have spoken to maintenance earlier in the flight to get their input sooner.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT ACFT FLC HAD DIFFICULTY IN OBTAINING MAX ALLOWABLE ENG PWR FROM 1 OF THE ACFT'S 3 ENGS.

Narrative: AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL TKOF AND LEVEL OFF AT (I BELIEVE) 8000 FT, WE WERE CLRED TO A HIGHER ALT. DURING THE CLB, AS THE SO ADJUSTED CLB PWR, HE NOTICED AND ADVISED US THAT THE #2 THROTTLE SEEMED STIFF. A CLOSER LOOK REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE COULD BE ADVANCED AND THE ENG WOULD RESPOND NORMALLY ONLY TO A POINT NEAR CLB PWR. FURTHER ADVANCEMENT OF THE THROTTLE ITSELF WAS POSSIBLE BUT THE ENG DID NOTHING. RETARDING AND ADVANCING IT WORKED NORMALLY BUT ONLY TO THAT SAME POINT. BEYOND THAT POINT, IT COULD BE PUSHED NEAR OR TO THE FORWARD STOP WITH SLIGHTLY INCREASED PRESSURE BUT WHEN RELEASED, IT WOULD SLOWLY MOVE BACK TO THE POINT WHERE THE ENG STOPPED ACCELERATING. IT SEEMED TO US THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE OR CABLE HAD HUNG UP. WE HAD CLOSE TO NORMAL PWR, AT LEAST ENOUGH TO DO A REDUCED PWR TKOF BACK IN EWR. WE HAD NORMAL ENG OP UP TO THAT PWR SETTING. WE CONTINUED TO CLE, WROTE IT UP IN THE LOGBOOK, AND ADVISED CLE MAINT WHEN WE CALLED IN RANGE. LOOKING BACK, I BELIEVE I ASSUMED THE PROBLEM COULD NOT GET WORSE. I FEEL WE SHOULD HAVE SPOKEN TO MAINT EARLIER IN THE FLT TO GET THEIR INPUT SOONER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.