Air carrier crew dispatched without autothrottle fail to maintain speed during cruise flight.

Attributes
ACN	445607
Time
Date	199908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zoa.artcc
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34700 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : pacific
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	445608
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6600
ASRS Report	445602
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

While in cruise crew became occupied with other cockpit and non cockpit duties/distrs. So (me) noticed change in aircraft pitch attitude and cockpit noise. I scanned engine instruments and noticed lower than normal N1 on all 4 engines. I scanned first officer flight instrument and saw 240 KIAS -- approximately 40 KIAS lower than it should have been. Captain immediately increased power and recovered to normal airspeed. When automatic system are inoperative, crew needs to be especially diligent and watchful. We were lucky to catch the speed reduction in time and avoid a possible stall recovery.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW DISPATCHED WITHOUT AUTOTHROTTLE FAIL TO MAINTAIN SPD DURING CRUISE FLT.

Narrative: WHILE IN CRUISE CREW BECAME OCCUPIED WITH OTHER COCKPIT AND NON COCKPIT DUTIES/DISTRS. SO (ME) NOTICED CHANGE IN ACFT PITCH ATTITUDE AND COCKPIT NOISE. I SCANNED ENG INSTS AND NOTICED LOWER THAN NORMAL N1 ON ALL 4 ENGS. I SCANNED FO FLT INST AND SAW 240 KIAS -- APPROX 40 KIAS LOWER THAN IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. CAPT IMMEDIATELY INCREASED PWR AND RECOVERED TO NORMAL AIRSPD. WHEN AUTO SYS ARE INOP, CREW NEEDS TO BE ESPECIALLY DILIGENT AND WATCHFUL. WE WERE LUCKY TO CATCH THE SPD REDUCTION IN TIME AND AVOID A POSSIBLE STALL RECOVERY.

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.