A DC9-10 in cruise at FL350 diverts due to the right engine thrust lever stuck at 2 pt 02 EPR.

Attributes
ACN	469775
Time
Date	200004
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 10
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	469775
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Right thrust lever stuck/froze at 2.02 EPR at cruise. Just leveled off at FL350, was bringing the thrust levers from climb EPR setting to a cruise EPR setting of 1.91 EPR when I was unable to bring the right thrust lever back to 1.91 EPR. The right stopped at 2.02 EPR and could not pull it back any further. We could advance the right thrust lever (but could not reduce EPR past 2.02). We did not have a crew operating manual procedure to address a stuck thrust lever (only one we have is a procedure to address an engine not responding to thrust lever movement). In our case, we could not move the thrust lever. Maintenance control suggested that we descend to warmer altitude. As we were descending, the first officer suggested that we turn on the engine and airfoil anti-ice to bleed some power off the right engine. At that time I decided to give the right engine thrust lever a quick shove forward to about 2.15 EPR and quickly brought it back. At that time I was able to bring the right thrust lever back to idle. We were able to use the right thrust lever back to msp normally. I do not know if it was coincidence when we turned the engine anti-ice on or what, but after we landed we talked to the maintenance folks at great length. They thought something could have caused thrust lever cable to bind and it worked itself free, but the aircraft was going to the hangar.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-10 IN CRUISE AT FL350 DIVERTS DUE TO THE R ENG THRUST LEVER STUCK AT 2 PT 02 EPR.

Narrative: R THRUST LEVER STUCK/FROZE AT 2.02 EPR AT CRUISE. JUST LEVELED OFF AT FL350, WAS BRINGING THE THRUST LEVERS FROM CLB EPR SETTING TO A CRUISE EPR SETTING OF 1.91 EPR WHEN I WAS UNABLE TO BRING THE R THRUST LEVER BACK TO 1.91 EPR. THE R STOPPED AT 2.02 EPR AND COULD NOT PULL IT BACK ANY FURTHER. WE COULD ADVANCE THE R THRUST LEVER (BUT COULD NOT REDUCE EPR PAST 2.02). WE DID NOT HAVE A CREW OPERATING MANUAL PROC TO ADDRESS A STUCK THRUST LEVER (ONLY ONE WE HAVE IS A PROC TO ADDRESS AN ENG NOT RESPONDING TO THRUST LEVER MOVEMENT). IN OUR CASE, WE COULD NOT MOVE THE THRUST LEVER. MAINT CTL SUGGESTED THAT WE DSND TO WARMER ALT. AS WE WERE DSNDING, THE FO SUGGESTED THAT WE TURN ON THE ENG AND AIRFOIL ANTI-ICE TO BLEED SOME PWR OFF THE R ENG. AT THAT TIME I DECIDED TO GIVE THE R ENG THRUST LEVER A QUICK SHOVE FORWARD TO ABOUT 2.15 EPR AND QUICKLY BROUGHT IT BACK. AT THAT TIME I WAS ABLE TO BRING THE R THRUST LEVER BACK TO IDLE. WE WERE ABLE TO USE THE R THRUST LEVER BACK TO MSP NORMALLY. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT WAS COINCIDENCE WHEN WE TURNED THE ENG ANTI-ICE ON OR WHAT, BUT AFTER WE LANDED WE TALKED TO THE MAINT FOLKS AT GREAT LENGTH. THEY THOUGHT SOMETHING COULD HAVE CAUSED THRUST LEVER CABLE TO BIND AND IT WORKED ITSELF FREE, BUT THE ACFT WAS GOING TO THE HANGAR.

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.