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A B737-700 flight crew discovered frost on the leading edges and surfaces of the wing and stabilizer during preflight. After making the required request for de-icing; they were alarmed and irate when local operations--and eventually their dispatcher--instead suggested they needed to review a recent company bulletin which they believed superseded the captain's request. The captain succinctly suggested the airplane was unacceptable to all parties and the de-icing was completed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1243685 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201503 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001-0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Dawn |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | B737-700 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Parked |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Captain |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Experience | Flight Crew Last 90 Days 132 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | First Officer |
| Qualification | Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP) |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe Deviation - Procedural FAR Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence |
Narrative:
We arrived at the aircraft at [prior to sunrise]. After completing the exterior preflight; my first officer stated 'I think we need to deice. Can you come take a look?' I immediately; and without question; agreed.layers of frost had adhered to upper wing surface; lower wing surface; leading edges and horizontal stab. We advised the agent we would need to deice. He immediately notified operations and we were then given the current station deice procedure. The agent informed me that operations was questioning my need to deice. To him they stated the temperatures were above freezing so they didn't understand why I requested/needed to deice. The agent did not question me; only repeated to operations that the aircraft needed to be deiced.without consulting me; operations then called dispatch and relayed my deice request; again questioning my reason for deice. I received an ACARS from dispatch questioning my reason to deice then questioning if I knew about [a pertinent recent company bulletin].here is the ACARS verbatim as I kept a picture. 'Local operations is telling us there is no ice on aircraft but was told you requested deice. Have you reviewed [the bulletin]?'at this point I am aggravated with the questioning of safety! I called dispatch and let them know exactly how I felt! I was unprofessional at that point but with reason. The next problem arose as operations was not ready to deice at push time nor prepared to deice per [their published] procedure as to location. [Neither] dispatch; [local operations]; nor ramp personnel have any authority to question safety; or my decision to deice an aircraft!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-700 flight crew discovered frost on the leading edges and surfaces of the wing and stabilizer during preflight. After making the required request for de-icing; they were alarmed and irate when local operations--and eventually their Dispatcher--instead suggested they needed to review a recent company bulletin which they believed superseded the Captain's request. The Captain succinctly suggested the airplane was unacceptable to all parties and the de-icing was completed.
Narrative: We arrived at the aircraft at [prior to sunrise]. After completing the exterior preflight; my First Officer stated 'I think we need to deice. Can you come take a look?' I immediately; and without question; agreed.Layers of frost had adhered to upper wing surface; lower wing surface; leading edges and horizontal stab. We advised the Agent we would need to deice. He immediately notified operations and we were then given the current station deice procedure. The Agent informed me that operations was questioning my need to deice. To him they stated the temperatures were above freezing so they didn't understand why I requested/needed to deice. The Agent did not question me; only repeated to Operations that the aircraft needed to be deiced.Without consulting me; operations then called Dispatch and relayed my deice request; again questioning my reason for deice. I received an ACARS from Dispatch questioning my reason to deice then questioning if I knew about [a pertinent recent company bulletin].Here is the ACARS verbatim as I kept a picture. 'Local operations is TELLING US THERE IS NO ICE ON ACFT BUT WAS TOLD YOU REQUESTED DEICE. HAVE YOU REVIEWED [the bulletin]?'At this point I am aggravated with the questioning of safety! I called Dispatch and let them know exactly how I felt! I was unprofessional at that point but with reason. The next problem arose as operations was not ready to deice at push time nor prepared to deice per [their published] procedure as to location. [Neither] Dispatch; [local operations]; nor Ramp Personnel have any authority to question safety; or my decision to deice an aircraft!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.