Narrative:

After intermediate leveloff on climb out from phx, received clearance to FL330. Used vertical speed to start climb, then used EPR limit for thrust setting. I believed I pushed IAS, but apparently did not verify the flight management annunciator. From that point on, was distraction and did not notice airspeed decay slowly from approximately 300 KTS to 210 KTS. Both first officer and I suddenly noticed it was getting quiet, and both noticed low airspeed. So I disconnected autoplt, leveled off at FL295, and first officer called ATC to request FL280. Then disconnected autothrottles and advanced thrust levers, but did not exceed egt or RPM limits. First officer noticed EPR's were higher than bugs, so I called for maximum continuous thrust. After ATC cleared us for 280 KTS, I slowly lowered the nose and accelerated while drifting down to FL280. Once normal airspeed established, continued climb to FL330. During the recovery, noticed that engine power lower on right side for same thrust lever position, so turned on engine anti-ice one at a time due to suspected probe icing. The engine immediately responded back to normal indications and thrust levers were again aligned normally. There are a couple of items to be noted: 1) the training we receive for this type of situation is pretty good and helped in this case. 2) however, unlike training, did not hear (or notice) the constant autopilot trim horn that leads up to the event. 3) we should emphasize 'slow control movement' and even though I exercised this, I got the speed low flight mode annunciator alert and a momentary buffet during the recovery.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW FLIES TO NEAR STALL WHILE DEPENDING ON AUTOFLT.

Narrative: AFTER INTERMEDIATE LEVELOFF ON CLBOUT FROM PHX, RECEIVED CLRNC TO FL330. USED VERT SPD TO START CLB, THEN USED EPR LIMIT FOR THRUST SETTING. I BELIEVED I PUSHED IAS, BUT APPARENTLY DID NOT VERIFY THE FLT MGMNT ANNUNCIATOR. FROM THAT POINT ON, WAS DISTR AND DID NOT NOTICE AIRSPD DECAY SLOWLY FROM APPROX 300 KTS TO 210 KTS. BOTH FO AND I SUDDENLY NOTICED IT WAS GETTING QUIET, AND BOTH NOTICED LOW AIRSPD. SO I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT, LEVELED OFF AT FL295, AND FO CALLED ATC TO REQUEST FL280. THEN DISCONNECTED AUTOTHROTTLES AND ADVANCED THRUST LEVERS, BUT DID NOT EXCEED EGT OR RPM LIMITS. FO NOTICED EPR'S WERE HIGHER THAN BUGS, SO I CALLED FOR MAX CONTINUOUS THRUST. AFTER ATC CLRED US FOR 280 KTS, I SLOWLY LOWERED THE NOSE AND ACCELERATED WHILE DRIFTING DOWN TO FL280. ONCE NORMAL AIRSPD ESTABLISHED, CONTINUED CLB TO FL330. DURING THE RECOVERY, NOTICED THAT ENG PWR LOWER ON R SIDE FOR SAME THRUST LEVER POS, SO TURNED ON ENG ANTI-ICE ONE AT A TIME DUE TO SUSPECTED PROBE ICING. THE ENG IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED BACK TO NORMAL INDICATIONS AND THRUST LEVERS WERE AGAIN ALIGNED NORMALLY. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ITEMS TO BE NOTED: 1) THE TRAINING WE RECEIVE FOR THIS TYPE OF SIT IS PRETTY GOOD AND HELPED IN THIS CASE. 2) HOWEVER, UNLIKE TRAINING, DID NOT HEAR (OR NOTICE) THE CONSTANT AUTOPILOT TRIM HORN THAT LEADS UP TO THE EVENT. 3) WE SHOULD EMPHASIZE 'SLOW CTL MOVEMENT' AND EVEN THOUGH I EXERCISED THIS, I GOT THE SPD LOW FLT MODE ANNUNCIATOR ALERT AND A MOMENTARY BUFFET DURING THE 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.