ON TAXI OUT FIRST FLT OF THE DAY THE CABIN ATTENDANT INFORMED THE CREW THERE WAS FROST ON THE WINGS. THE FLT RETURNED TO THE GATE AND THE FROST WAS REMOVED.

Narrative

FIRST FLT OF DAY; CLR; TEMP 20 DEG FAHRENHEIT. ACFT HAD RON. FO DID WALK AROUND; STATED ACFT DID NOT NEED TO BE DE-ICED WHEN ASKED BY ME. ACFT WAS FUELED AFTER FO WALK AROUND. ON TAXI-OUT FLT ATTENDANT CAME UP TO CABIN AND RPTED FROST ON TOP OF WINGS. RETURNED TO RAMP AND DE- ICED. FO DID NOT WALK BACK AND VIEW WINGS FROM OVERWING CABIN WINDOWS DURING PREFLT; BUT STATED HE COULD SEE NO FROST ON ANY SURFACES DURING WALK-AROUND. THIS COINCIDED WITH MY VIEW OF THE L WING AREA I VIEWED WHEN GOING UP THE RAMP STAIRS. 1 OF 2 POSSIBILITIES: EITHER THE FO DID AN INCOMPLETE WALKAROUND PREFLT; OR WHEN THE FUEL WAS UPLOADED INTO A COLD SOAKED WING; IT CREATED FROST. THERE IS NO PROC FOR A POST-FUEL INSPECTION OF A COLD WING ON THIS ACFT; UNLIKE THE MD-80. PERHAPS THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. NORMALLY; IT IS MY PERSONAL PROC TO 1) VIEW THE WING FROM BOTH THE BOARDING RAMP AND OVERWING CABIN WINDOWS. THIS FLT AN MEL ON THE FUEL GAUGE REQUIRED DRIPSTICKING; AND THE MECH WAS CONTRACT MAINT. I WAS ENGAGED IN VERIFYING FUEL LOAD. NEXT TIME; I WILL ASK IF WING WAS VIEWED FROM CABIN; AND WILL DO ANOTHER INSPECTION AFTER FUEL IS LOADED.