Narrative:

My flight from YYY to ZZZ developed a problem that eventually required ATC priority handling and a declared emergency. Technical aspects: aircraft is a saab 340B equipped with electromechanical flight idle stop with associated warning devices and modifications. After takeoff, caution amber flight idle stop fail light illuminated after gear retraction. This indicates and cautions the pilots to limit aft travel of the power lever while in-flight to no further aft of the pedestal markings. During climb/level flight, no problem. During descent and landing, big problem. 40% torque was least power observed. Descent, final approach and landing required major effort and coordination of crew and ATC. Aircraft departed YYY at almost maximum takeoff weight. Aircraft was dispatched via approved MEL procedures from ZZZ to XXX. Both are air carrier X maintenance bases. 'One time revenue flight' provision of MEL! My crew plus FAA inspector off another crew assigned aircraft. Maintenance control will utilize all sources (crew) to fly this aircraft that are possible. 'It's a legal MEL' is the most common quote! It may be legal, but is it/was it safe?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SAAB 340B IN DSCNT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO UNABLE TO REDUCE ENG PWR TO LESS THAN 40%. CAUSED BY DEFERRAL OF AUTOFLT IDLE STOP CTL.

Narrative: MY FLT FROM YYY TO ZZZ DEVELOPED A PROB THAT EVENTUALLY REQUIRED ATC PRIORITY HANDLING AND A DECLARED EMER. TECHNICAL ASPECTS: ACFT IS A SAAB 340B EQUIPPED WITH ELECTROMECHANICAL FLT IDLE STOP WITH ASSOCIATED WARNING DEVICES AND MODIFICATIONS. AFTER TKOF, CAUTION AMBER FLT IDLE STOP FAIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER GEAR RETRACTION. THIS INDICATES AND CAUTIONS THE PLTS TO LIMIT AFT TRAVEL OF THE PWR LEVER WHILE INFLT TO NO FURTHER AFT OF THE PEDESTAL MARKINGS. DURING CLB/LEVEL FLT, NO PROB. DURING DSCNT AND LNDG, BIG PROB. 40% TORQUE WAS LEAST PWR OBSERVED. DSCNT, FINAL APCH AND LNDG REQUIRED MAJOR EFFORT AND COORD OF CREW AND ATC. ACFT DEPARTED YYY AT ALMOST MAX TKOF WT. ACFT WAS DISPATCHED VIA APPROVED MEL PROCS FROM ZZZ TO XXX. BOTH ARE ACR X MAINT BASES. 'ONE TIME REVENUE FLT' PROVISION OF MEL! MY CREW PLUS FAA INSPECTOR OFF ANOTHER CREW ASSIGNED ACFT. MAINT CTL WILL UTILIZE ALL SOURCES (CREW) TO FLY THIS ACFT THAT ARE POSSIBLE. 'IT'S A LEGAL MEL' IS THE MOST COMMON QUOTE! IT MAY BE LEGAL, BUT IS IT/WAS IT SAFE?

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.