An MD80 on descent from FL350 to FL240 declared an emergency due to the left engine thrust lever wou...

Attributes
ACN	634427
Time
Date	200410
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	634427
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : left engine indications other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : declared emergency flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Weather
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

When advised to descend from FL350 to FL240, the left engine throttle control lever would not come back from the cruise position. The right throttle came back normally. This was discovered immediately by captain. He immediately disconnected the autothrottle system and tried to manually move the left throttle. The throttle was frozen solidly in place at the cruise power setting. Since we could not comply with ATC instructions to descend in a normal descent, we declared an emergency. We decided to turn on all the anti-ice protection to see if it was ice causing this problem. We were cleared direct to ZZZ in a shallow descent. We broke out the emergency procedures and discussed our options. We decided to keep the engine running until we felt comfortable shutting the engine down. We would only do this if we could not gain control over the left throttle and left engine. At about 17000 ft after about 8 mins of using the anti-ice, the left throttle could be manually moved. We set up for a long straight in to ZZZ. We shot the visual and landed safely. Maintenance inspected the engine and found it to have an excess of water in the cowling. We took this airplane from ZZZ to ZZZ1 the next leg with no recurring problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 ON DSCNT FROM FL350 TO FL240 DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO THE L ENG THRUST LEVER WOULD NOT RETARD FROM CRUISE. AUTOTHROTTLE DISCONNECTED, NO HELP. AT 17000 FT, THROTTLE RETURNED TO NORMAL.

Narrative: WHEN ADVISED TO DSND FROM FL350 TO FL240, THE L ENG THROTTLE CTL LEVER WOULD NOT COME BACK FROM THE CRUISE POS. THE R THROTTLE CAME BACK NORMALLY. THIS WAS DISCOVERED IMMEDIATELY BY CAPT. HE IMMEDIATELY DISCONNECTED THE AUTOTHROTTLE SYS AND TRIED TO MANUALLY MOVE THE L THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE WAS FROZEN SOLIDLY IN PLACE AT THE CRUISE PWR SETTING. SINCE WE COULD NOT COMPLY WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS TO DSND IN A NORMAL DSCNT, WE DECLARED AN EMER. WE DECIDED TO TURN ON ALL THE ANTI-ICE PROTECTION TO SEE IF IT WAS ICE CAUSING THIS PROB. WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO ZZZ IN A SHALLOW DSCNT. WE BROKE OUT THE EMER PROCS AND DISCUSSED OUR OPTIONS. WE DECIDED TO KEEP THE ENG RUNNING UNTIL WE FELT COMFORTABLE SHUTTING THE ENG DOWN. WE WOULD ONLY DO THIS IF WE COULD NOT GAIN CTL OVER THE L THROTTLE AND L ENG. AT ABOUT 17000 FT AFTER ABOUT 8 MINS OF USING THE ANTI-ICE, THE L THROTTLE COULD BE MANUALLY MOVED. WE SET UP FOR A LONG STRAIGHT IN TO ZZZ. WE SHOT THE VISUAL AND LANDED SAFELY. MAINT INSPECTED THE ENG AND FOUND IT TO HAVE AN EXCESS OF WATER IN THE COWLING. WE TOOK THIS AIRPLANE FROM ZZZ TO ZZZ1 THE NEXT LEG WITH NO RECURRING PROB.

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.

An MD80 on descent from FL350 to FL240 declared an emergency due to the left engine thrust lever would not retard from cruise. Autothrottle disconnected, no help. At 17000 ft, throttle returned to normal.