Narrative:

I was the PF. We were IMC at 200 cruise altitude. No radar returns. Only partial icing was applied. First officer called for rest of ice protection on but captain said 'we're not picking up that much yet'. Moments later we hit some moderate clear icing. Airspeed was bleeding off rapidly in level flight. I asked captain to ask for a lower altitude or a block altitude, but he said we're ok, and he didn't make the call. At 125 KTS (blue line) we got a buffet, mentioned it to the captain (he said it's only turbulence). I lowered the nose a little 300 ft low, attempted to level, got the buffet again and descended 300 ft further to FL195. Finally 1 min later when the captain finally caught up with assessing the situation he finally requested block FL180-200. Contributing factors: 1) captain's personality can be described as both stubborn and insecure. This is a very dangerous combination for any pilot, but especially an airline captain. 2) this captain typically does not support the PF's judgement decisions due to his personality. 3) the airline does not have clear cut guidelines as to the decision making authority of the first officer acting as the PF. 4) flying only with this 1 captain for the last 8 months (800 hours) only with rare exception, creates an unhealthy situation, perhaps complacency. 5) various persons suspect the captain has a substance abuse problem, alcohol, but this is not provable. Corrective actions: I discussed the incident with the airlines assistance chief pilot and vice president of operations and requested not to fly with that captain until the issue is resolved.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT SHOWS POOR AWARENESS AND JUDGEMENT AND JEOPARDIZES SAFETY OF FLT WHEN ICING CONDITION IS ENCOUNTERED.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF. WE WERE IMC AT 200 CRUISE ALT. NO RADAR RETURNS. ONLY PARTIAL ICING WAS APPLIED. FO CALLED FOR REST OF ICE PROTECTION ON BUT CAPT SAID 'WE'RE NOT PICKING UP THAT MUCH YET'. MOMENTS LATER WE HIT SOME MODERATE CLR ICING. AIRSPD WAS BLEEDING OFF RAPIDLY IN LEVEL FLT. I ASKED CAPT TO ASK FOR A LOWER ALT OR A BLOCK ALT, BUT HE SAID WE'RE OK, AND HE DIDN'T MAKE THE CALL. AT 125 KTS (BLUE LINE) WE GOT A BUFFET, MENTIONED IT TO THE CAPT (HE SAID IT'S ONLY TURB). I LOWERED THE NOSE A LITTLE 300 FT LOW, ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL, GOT THE BUFFET AGAIN AND DSNDED 300 FT FURTHER TO FL195. FINALLY 1 MIN LATER WHEN THE CAPT FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH ASSESSING THE SITUATION HE FINALLY REQUESTED BLOCK FL180-200. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) CAPT'S PERSONALITY CAN BE DESCRIBED AS BOTH STUBBORN AND INSECURE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION FOR ANY PLT, BUT ESPECIALLY AN AIRLINE CAPT. 2) THIS CAPT TYPICALLY DOES NOT SUPPORT THE PF'S JUDGEMENT DECISIONS DUE TO HIS PERSONALITY. 3) THE AIRLINE DOES NOT HAVE CLR CUT GUIDELINES AS TO THE DECISION MAKING AUTHORITY OF THE FO ACTING AS THE PF. 4) FLYING ONLY WITH THIS 1 CAPT FOR THE LAST 8 MONTHS (800 HRS) ONLY WITH RARE EXCEPTION, CREATES AN UNHEALTHY SITUATION, PERHAPS COMPLACENCY. 5) VARIOUS PERSONS SUSPECT THE CAPT HAS A SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEM, ALCOHOL, BUT THIS IS NOT PROVABLE. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: I DISCUSSED THE INCIDENT WITH THE AIRLINES ASSISTANCE CHIEF PLT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF OPS AND REQUESTED NOT TO FLY WITH THAT CAPT UNTIL THE ISSUE IS RESOLVED.

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.