COMPANY ADVISES THAT THEIR B737-400'S WINGS DO NOT REQUIRE DEICING DESPITE FLT CREW REQUEST DUE TO FROST. CAPT REMINDS COMPANY THAT THE DECISION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FLT CREWS; NOT GND PERSONNEL. EXPOSURE TO SUN DURING SUBSEQUENT DELAY MAKES THE ISSUE MOOT.
Synopsis
COMPANY ADVISES THAT THEIR B737-400'S WINGS DO NOT REQUIRE DEICING DESPITE FLT CREW REQUEST DUE TO FROST. CAPT REMINDS COMPANY THAT THE DECISION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FLT CREWS; NOT GND PERSONNEL. EXPOSURE TO SUN DURING SUBSEQUENT DELAY MAKES THE ISSUE MOOT.
Narrative
FO RPTED AFTER CONDUCTING HIS PREFLT WALKAROUND INSPECTION OF ACFT THAT THE WINGS HAD FROST ADHERING ON THE UPPER SURFACES AND WOULD REQUIRE DEICING UPON PUSHBACK. I TOLD HIM TO CONTACT MAINT-DEICE SO THAT THEY WOULD BE READY. THE LADY MANNING THE RADIO REPLIED THAT SHE WOULD SEND SOMEONE OVER TO VERIFY THE WINGS. A FEW MINS LATER SHE CALLED US VIA OUTBOUND FREQ TO ADVISE THAT OUR WINGS WERE INSPECTED AND WOULD NOT REQUIRE DEICING. I QUICKLY LOOKED THE WINGS OVER AND REPLIED BACK TO HER THAT THEY WERE NOT CLR OF FROST AND WOULD; I REPEAT; WOULD REQUIRE DEICING UPON PUSHBACK. AS IT WERE; WE WERE DELAYED IN THE GATE LONG ENOUGH FOR THE SUN TO BREAK OVER THE BUILDING AND 'BURN OFF' THE FROST PRIOR TO OUR BEING READY TO PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE. IT WAS OUR FEELINGS THAT WE WERE BEING 'PRESSURED' TO TAKE THE ACFT AS BEING READY FOR FLT WHEN WE IN FACT KNEW THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE. I SUGGEST THAT THIS POLICY BE STOPPED SO THAT IT ISN'T REPEATED TO A CREW THAT MAY TAKE THE WORD OF AN INSPECTOR THAT THEY ARE OK; WHEN THE SITUATION REALLY IS NOT SAFE; NOR LEGAL PER THE FOM AND FAR'S.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.