Narrative:

Heavy, wet snowfall required deicing at the gate using type I and ii fluid. Post deice report by ground crew was good. Intent was to push and taxi and have first officer do final wing inspection just prior to takeoff. We discussed the fact that the snowfall has stopped and was no longer a threat, but still preferred to do the last min inspection. On taxi- out, we unexpectedly had to deal with 2 nuisance faults of aircraft system which required a log book writeup and contacting our company dispatch. In addition, a lengthy flight control check was required to be performed per MEL. With all these additional duties and the pressure of trying to keep a schedule, the last min inspection of the wings was overlooked. Inasmuch as the snowfall had stopped prior to completion of final deicing and we did not exceed our holdover time, we were ok, but what if? This is 1 case where we were so busy trying to cover all the bases to be sure we didn't depart in violation of far's or company policy that we totally forgot about the most important part -- safety! We have become so burdened down by ever- changing far's and company policies that the majority of our time is spent satisfying those requirements. Since those requirements won't go away and will likely increase it becomes absolutely imperative that safety must be at the top of the list of priorities.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CREW FORGOT TO DO THE FINAL DEICING CHK OF THEIR WINGS.

Narrative: HVY, WET SNOWFALL REQUIRED DEICING AT THE GATE USING TYPE I AND II FLUID. POST DEICE RPT BY GND CREW WAS GOOD. INTENT WAS TO PUSH AND TAXI AND HAVE FO DO FINAL WING INSPECTION JUST PRIOR TO TKOF. WE DISCUSSED THE FACT THAT THE SNOWFALL HAS STOPPED AND WAS NO LONGER A THREAT, BUT STILL PREFERRED TO DO THE LAST MIN INSPECTION. ON TAXI- OUT, WE UNEXPECTEDLY HAD TO DEAL WITH 2 NUISANCE FAULTS OF ACFT SYS WHICH REQUIRED A LOG BOOK WRITEUP AND CONTACTING OUR COMPANY DISPATCH. IN ADDITION, A LENGTHY FLT CTL CHK WAS REQUIRED TO BE PERFORMED PER MEL. WITH ALL THESE ADDITIONAL DUTIES AND THE PRESSURE OF TRYING TO KEEP A SCHEDULE, THE LAST MIN INSPECTION OF THE WINGS WAS OVERLOOKED. INASMUCH AS THE SNOWFALL HAD STOPPED PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF FINAL DEICING AND WE DID NOT EXCEED OUR HOLDOVER TIME, WE WERE OK, BUT WHAT IF? THIS IS 1 CASE WHERE WE WERE SO BUSY TRYING TO COVER ALL THE BASES TO BE SURE WE DIDN'T DEPART IN VIOLATION OF FAR'S OR COMPANY POLICY THAT WE TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT THE MOST IMPORTANT PART -- SAFETY! WE HAVE BECOME SO BURDENED DOWN BY EVER- CHANGING FAR'S AND COMPANY POLICIES THAT THE MAJORITY OF OUR TIME IS SPENT SATISFYING THOSE REQUIREMENTS. SINCE THOSE REQUIREMENTS WON'T GO AWAY AND WILL LIKELY INCREASE IT BECOMES ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT SAFETY MUST BE AT THE TOP OF THE LIST OF PRIORITIES.

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.