Air carrier large transport returns to ramp at yyz for deicing.

Attributes
ACN	140484
Time
Date	199003
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yyz
State Reference	ON
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 16000
ASRS Report	140484
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6100 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	140590
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

After pushback and taxiing for approximately 35 mins for takeoff at yyz, an air carrier aircraft Y behind me called and said we appeared to have some ice and snow on our upper wing surfaces. I sent the second officer back to check the wings from the cabin. He came back and reported that there was a small amount of ice and snow on the wings. I asked him if he thought we ought to return for deicing and he said yes. I requested taxi instructions back to ramp and contacted company to meet us for deicing. After deicing we departed yyz for remainder of flight. Supplemental information from acn 140590: later we were informed a passenger had called the company saying they were the one reporting the snow on the wing and they were going to go the FAA about it. The F/east must have missed seeing the snow on the trailing edge. There was no evidence of snow on the ramp, so he must not have checked the wings closely to see if they needed deicing. Supplemental information from acn 140476: during my preflight inspection I inspected the aircraft for ice or snow adhering to any of the surfaces. The aircraft appeared to be free of ice and snow, except for a light dusting of dry snow on the trailing edges of the wings that I felt would blow off. After taxi out I inspected the wings again. At this point there was still a little snow on the trailing edges. We then decided to have the wings deiced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT RETURNS TO RAMP AT YYZ FOR DEICING.

Narrative: AFTER PUSHBACK AND TAXIING FOR APPROX 35 MINS FOR TKOF AT YYZ, AN ACR ACFT Y BEHIND ME CALLED AND SAID WE APPEARED TO HAVE SOME ICE AND SNOW ON OUR UPPER WING SURFACES. I SENT THE S/O BACK TO CHK THE WINGS FROM THE CABIN. HE CAME BACK AND RPTED THAT THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE AND SNOW ON THE WINGS. I ASKED HIM IF HE THOUGHT WE OUGHT TO RETURN FOR DEICING AND HE SAID YES. I REQUESTED TAXI INSTRUCTIONS BACK TO RAMP AND CONTACTED COMPANY TO MEET US FOR DEICING. AFTER DEICING WE DEPARTED YYZ FOR REMAINDER OF FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 140590: LATER WE WERE INFORMED A PAX HAD CALLED THE COMPANY SAYING THEY WERE THE ONE RPTING THE SNOW ON THE WING AND THEY WERE GOING TO GO THE FAA ABOUT IT. THE F/E MUST HAVE MISSED SEEING THE SNOW ON THE TRAILING EDGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF SNOW ON THE RAMP, SO HE MUST NOT HAVE CHKED THE WINGS CLOSELY TO SEE IF THEY NEEDED DEICING. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 140476: DURING MY PREFLT INSPECTION I INSPECTED THE ACFT FOR ICE OR SNOW ADHERING TO ANY OF THE SURFACES. THE ACFT APPEARED TO BE FREE OF ICE AND SNOW, EXCEPT FOR A LIGHT DUSTING OF DRY SNOW ON THE TRAILING EDGES OF THE WINGS THAT I FELT WOULD BLOW OFF. AFTER TAXI OUT I INSPECTED THE WINGS AGAIN. AT THIS POINT THERE WAS STILL A LITTLE SNOW ON THE TRAILING EDGES. WE THEN DECIDED TO HAVE THE WINGS DEICED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.