Air carrier reaches cruise and passenger questions takeoff with ice on wings.

Attributes
ACN	168068
Time
Date	199101
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : slc
State Reference	UT
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 16000 flight time type : 8000
ASRS Report	168068
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 1600
ASRS Report	168043
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

In cruise a F/a advised me that a passenger sitting at an overwing row wanted to know why we took off from slc with ice on our wings. I went back and talked to the passenger. There was a small trace of very light rime about a ft square on top of the wings about a ft or so aft of the leading edge. I assured the passenger that there was no problem (ont was 70 degree F, destination). We continued uneventfully, my first officer did not see any ice during his second walkaround. Maintenance did not see any ice on his walkaround. When we pushed and taxied it was not snowing or raining. If there was any ice on the aircraft it would have accumulated possibly on the inbound leg from oma or after takeoff. The only possible way of detecting any ice in that particular area would have to be accomplished from inside the cabin or with a ladder.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR REACHES CRUISE AND PASSENGER QUESTIONS TKOF WITH ICE ON WINGS.

Narrative: IN CRUISE A F/A ADVISED ME THAT A PAX SITTING AT AN OVERWING ROW WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE TOOK OFF FROM SLC WITH ICE ON OUR WINGS. I WENT BACK AND TALKED TO THE PAX. THERE WAS A SMALL TRACE OF VERY LIGHT RIME ABOUT A FT SQUARE ON TOP OF THE WINGS ABOUT A FT OR SO AFT OF THE LEADING EDGE. I ASSURED THE PAX THAT THERE WAS NO PROB (ONT WAS 70 DEG F, DEST). WE CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY, MY F/O DID NOT SEE ANY ICE DURING HIS SEC WALKAROUND. MAINT DID NOT SEE ANY ICE ON HIS WALKAROUND. WHEN WE PUSHED AND TAXIED IT WAS NOT SNOWING OR RAINING. IF THERE WAS ANY ICE ON THE ACFT IT WOULD HAVE ACCUMULATED POSSIBLY ON THE INBND LEG FROM OMA OR AFTER TKOF. THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY OF DETECTING ANY ICE IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA WOULD HAVE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED FROM INSIDE THE CABIN OR WITH A LADDER.

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.