Narrative:

On taxi out from spot in slc, north on taxiway H to runway 16L, I heard operations calling us on VHF #2. They advised us that the aircraft had been deiced with type iv fluid and, therefore, needed to be deiced with type I before takeoff. So, since we were abeam the deicing area, we made a 180 degree turn and taxied over to it. We did not incur any additional delays due to this oversight and ended up departing a total of 20-25 mins late. It had never entered my mind that we'd been deiced with type iv, since the WX was very clear and no precipitation during the night. I had asked the first officer on his return from his walkaround, if we needed to be deiced, and he said that the aircraft had actually been deiced and fluid was still dripping off the aircraft, which in my simple mind translated to a recent type I or maybe type ii application. Contributing factors: clear day with no precipitation. The prior evening, first real cold WX operations for me this season and no notification of the type iv fluid having been applied until we had taxied out. Possible remedies: discussed this with first officer, who is rather new to company and airline operations (7 months). He said he didn't know/remember the ramifications of using type iv fluid, although he noticed that the deicing fluid was green. I think I would have been clued in to start thinking about a secondary deice, if I had heard the word 'green' in the first officer's reply regarding needing deicing. Normally, I do review the cold WX procedures prior to the first flight in these conditions and also discuss this with the first officer. Also, I would suggest some sort of notification to the crew, preferably written (maybe on the 'ice-man' sheet we were provided along with the release) any time type iv fluid has been used.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CAPT RPTED THAT THE WRONG DEICING FLUID WAS APPLIED AT SLC AND WAS NOT DETECTED UNTIL AFTER OPS CALLED.

Narrative: ON TAXI OUT FROM SPOT IN SLC, N ON TXWY H TO RWY 16L, I HEARD OPS CALLING US ON VHF #2. THEY ADVISED US THAT THE ACFT HAD BEEN DEICED WITH TYPE IV FLUID AND, THEREFORE, NEEDED TO BE DEICED WITH TYPE I BEFORE TKOF. SO, SINCE WE WERE ABEAM THE DEICING AREA, WE MADE A 180 DEG TURN AND TAXIED OVER TO IT. WE DID NOT INCUR ANY ADDITIONAL DELAYS DUE TO THIS OVERSIGHT AND ENDED UP DEPARTING A TOTAL OF 20-25 MINS LATE. IT HAD NEVER ENTERED MY MIND THAT WE'D BEEN DEICED WITH TYPE IV, SINCE THE WX WAS VERY CLR AND NO PRECIP DURING THE NIGHT. I HAD ASKED THE FO ON HIS RETURN FROM HIS WALKAROUND, IF WE NEEDED TO BE DEICED, AND HE SAID THAT THE ACFT HAD ACTUALLY BEEN DEICED AND FLUID WAS STILL DRIPPING OFF THE ACFT, WHICH IN MY SIMPLE MIND TRANSLATED TO A RECENT TYPE I OR MAYBE TYPE II APPLICATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CLR DAY WITH NO PRECIP. THE PRIOR EVENING, FIRST REAL COLD WX OPS FOR ME THIS SEASON AND NO NOTIFICATION OF THE TYPE IV FLUID HAVING BEEN APPLIED UNTIL WE HAD TAXIED OUT. POSSIBLE REMEDIES: DISCUSSED THIS WITH FO, WHO IS RATHER NEW TO COMPANY AND AIRLINE OPS (7 MONTHS). HE SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW/REMEMBER THE RAMIFICATIONS OF USING TYPE IV FLUID, ALTHOUGH HE NOTICED THAT THE DEICING FLUID WAS GREEN. I THINK I WOULD HAVE BEEN CLUED IN TO START THINKING ABOUT A SECONDARY DEICE, IF I HAD HEARD THE WORD 'GREEN' IN THE FO'S REPLY REGARDING NEEDING DEICING. NORMALLY, I DO REVIEW THE COLD WX PROCS PRIOR TO THE FIRST FLT IN THESE CONDITIONS AND ALSO DISCUSS THIS WITH THE FO. ALSO, I WOULD SUGGEST SOME SORT OF NOTIFICATION TO THE CREW, PREFERABLY WRITTEN (MAYBE ON THE 'ICE-MAN' SHEET WE WERE PROVIDED ALONG WITH THE RELEASE) ANY TIME TYPE IV FLUID HAS BEEN USED.

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.