A CRJ200 REJECTED A TKOF BECAUSE OF AN ANTI-ICE DUCT WARNING EICAS MSG. WX WAS FREEZING RAIN AT THE ARPT AND ICING IN CLB TO FL250.

Narrative

I WAS THE CAPT AND PF. WE HAD A FULL FLT PLUS A JUMP-SEATER ONBOARD AND WE PUSHED BACK FROM GATE AT APPROX XA40 LOCAL. DUE TO THE WX (E WINDS AT 10KTS; 3SM; FZRA; OVC004) WE NEEDED TO TAXI FOR DE-ICE BEFORE DEP. AFTER THAT WAS COMPLETE WE TAXIED TO RWY 09L FOR TAKEOFF. DURING TKOF AT APPROX 130 KTS; WE RECEIVED A TRIPLE CHIME MASTER WARNING MESSAGE FOR THE ANTI-ICE DUCT. ALL FACTORS BEING CONSIDERED (FZRA; MODERATE ICE UP TO FL250 AND SUFFICIENT RWY) I DECIDED TO ABORT THE TKOF. ALL PROCS FOLLOWED WITH NO EMER DECLARED. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE. I CALLED MAINT CTL; EXPLAINED OUR PROBLEM AND DECIDED TO REMOVE THE PAX FROM THE PLANE. AFTER ABOUT AN HOUR; CONTRACT MAINT SHOWED UP AND PERFORMED THE RTO CHK. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT FINE AND HE LEFT TO GET THE PAPERWORK FOR THE ANTI-ICE CHECK. HE RETURNED; WE DID THE ANTI-ICE ELECTRICAL TEST; AND HAD TO WAIT UNTIL XE00 LOCAL TO GET PERMISSION FROM ATC TO GO RUN THE ENGINES UP. EVERYTHING CHKED OUT FINE ON THE ELECTRICAL TEST. DURING THE RUN-UP TEST; WE CHKED THE ANTI-ICE IN THE NORMAL POSITION; THE MECHANIC ADVISED WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GET THE L WING CAUTION MESSAGE DURING THE CHK UNTIL THE WING HEATED UP. WE NEVER RECEIVED THAT MESSAGE AND AT THE SAME TIME WE HAD NO FLOW TO THE L WING ON THE ANTI-ICE PAGE AND NO ADVISORY MESSAGE SAYING THE WING ANTI-ICE WAS ON. WE WERE IN AGREEMENT THAT THE TEST IN STANDBY MODE WAS ALSO A FAILURE. THE MECHANIC CALLED MAINT CTL. HE CAME BACK TO THE COCKPIT AND SAID WE WOULD TEST IT AGAIN IN NORMAL AND THAT TIME WE RECEIVED THE CORRECT INDICATIONS. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE AND THE MAINT GUY ADVISED THAT THEY WERE GOOD WITH THE NORM MODE BUT WERE GOING TO DEFER THE STBY MODE. I FELT SINCE WE ALREADY ABORTED IN THE NORM MODE; IT FAILED THE CHK ONCE AND NOW THEY WANTED TO TAKE AWAY MY BACK-UP STBY MODE; THAT THE ACFT WAS UNSAFE TO FLY IN THE CURRENT CONDITIONS. I REFUSED THE ACFT AND THE CREW AND I WENT BACK TO THE HOTEL AFTER REMOTE PARKING THE ACFT AT APPROX XD00 LOCAL. IN ADDITION TO MY RPT; I ADD; MY REASONING FOR THE HIGH SPEED RTO WASN'T A RASH DECISION. MY THOROUGH PREFLIGHT OF THE ACFT; WEATHER; AND FIELD CONDITIONS GAVE ME NO HESITATION WHEN I HEARD THAT TRIPLE CHIME WITH THE ANTI-ICE DUCT WARNING MESSAGE. THAT I COULD NOT TAKE THE CHANCE TO TAKE THAT PLANE AIRBORNE IF THERE WAS NO CERTAINTY THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO KEEP IT ALOFT IN THE CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED. THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ANTI-ICE SYSTEM AND AS THE MAINT TEST PROVED; IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE SITUATION.