Narrative:

We were descending at idle; cleared by approach to 2500 ft; being vectored for the ILS approach to runway 35L. When I leveled the aircraft to 2500 ft; both throttles moved up; but only the right engine responded. I disconnected the autothrottles and manually moved the left throttle up and back with no response. N1; N2; and EPR were all in sub-idle condition; egt was normal. The ignition was in 'continuous;' I selected 'override;' ensured that the fuel panel was set and quantities were balanced. The first officer started the APU and I asked for the engine failure checklist. We shut the engine down using the checklist; read the 1 engine landing checklist; and informed ATC and the flight attendants. Approach and landing were uneventful. Crash fire rescue equipment met the aircraft as we cleared the runway and ensured that there were no abnormalities apparent with the left engine. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the autothrottle system advanced the thrust levers but only #2 engine accelerated and #1 engine just spooled down to below idle speed. No abnormal egt was noted. Engine was shut down. Later that day; maintenance replaced the engine fuel control and the airplane was returned to service for the morning flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 IN DSCNT AT 2500 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO #1 ENG SPOOLED DOWN TO BELOW SUB IDLE. CAUSED BY A FAILED FUEL CTL.

Narrative: WE WERE DSNDING AT IDLE; CLRED BY APCH TO 2500 FT; BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS APCH TO RWY 35L. WHEN I LEVELED THE ACFT TO 2500 FT; BOTH THROTTLES MOVED UP; BUT ONLY THE R ENG RESPONDED. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOTHROTTLES AND MANUALLY MOVED THE L THROTTLE UP AND BACK WITH NO RESPONSE. N1; N2; AND EPR WERE ALL IN SUB-IDLE CONDITION; EGT WAS NORMAL. THE IGNITION WAS IN 'CONTINUOUS;' I SELECTED 'OVERRIDE;' ENSURED THAT THE FUEL PANEL WAS SET AND QUANTITIES WERE BALANCED. THE FO STARTED THE APU AND I ASKED FOR THE ENG FAILURE CHKLIST. WE SHUT THE ENG DOWN USING THE CHKLIST; READ THE 1 ENG LNDG CHKLIST; AND INFORMED ATC AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. CFR MET THE ACFT AS WE CLRED THE RWY AND ENSURED THAT THERE WERE NO ABNORMALITIES APPARENT WITH THE L ENG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE AUTOTHROTTLE SYS ADVANCED THE THRUST LEVERS BUT ONLY #2 ENG ACCELERATED AND #1 ENG JUST SPOOLED DOWN TO BELOW IDLE SPD. NO ABNORMAL EGT WAS NOTED. ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. LATER THAT DAY; MAINT REPLACED THE ENG FUEL CTL AND THE AIRPLANE WAS RETURNED TO SVC FOR THE MORNING FLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.