B737 crew begins pushback with only 1 wing deiced.

Attributes
ACN	687575
Time
Date	200602
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sea.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : pushback
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	687575
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance
Primary Problem	Maintenance Human Performance

Narrative:

On arrival into lax we called for a spray of water due to anticipated frost buildup on the wings after fueling. During passenger boarding; ramp personnel came up and questioned if we wanted a hot water spray. I told them we did; and boarding of passenger and cargo was completed. Check-in with pushback crew was normal and we began the push. We noticed there was only water on 1 side of the ramp; and asked the tug driver if both wings were sprayed. He said only the left wing was sprayed. I sent the first officer back to check the right wing and he reported he couldn't see if there was frost but the wing was dry. I called operations to check with the deicing crew if they did both wings. They said no. I requested they come out and complete the deicing. We shut down #2 and deicing was completed. My concern is we would have taken off with only 1 wing deiced if we hadn't noticed the water on the ramp. Chances are nothing would have happened; but we could have also had an asymmetric situation. The deice crew could have stopped the pushback until both wings were completed but chose not to; creating a potential safety issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW BEGINS PUSHBACK WITH ONLY 1 WING DEICED.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO LAX WE CALLED FOR A SPRAY OF WATER DUE TO ANTICIPATED FROST BUILDUP ON THE WINGS AFTER FUELING. DURING PAX BOARDING; RAMP PERSONNEL CAME UP AND QUESTIONED IF WE WANTED A HOT WATER SPRAY. I TOLD THEM WE DID; AND BOARDING OF PAX AND CARGO WAS COMPLETED. CHK-IN WITH PUSHBACK CREW WAS NORMAL AND WE BEGAN THE PUSH. WE NOTICED THERE WAS ONLY WATER ON 1 SIDE OF THE RAMP; AND ASKED THE TUG DRIVER IF BOTH WINGS WERE SPRAYED. HE SAID ONLY THE L WING WAS SPRAYED. I SENT THE FO BACK TO CHK THE R WING AND HE RPTED HE COULDN'T SEE IF THERE WAS FROST BUT THE WING WAS DRY. I CALLED OPS TO CHK WITH THE DEICING CREW IF THEY DID BOTH WINGS. THEY SAID NO. I REQUESTED THEY COME OUT AND COMPLETE THE DEICING. WE SHUT DOWN #2 AND DEICING WAS COMPLETED. MY CONCERN IS WE WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF WITH ONLY 1 WING DEICED IF WE HADN'T NOTICED THE WATER ON THE RAMP. CHANCES ARE NOTHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED; BUT WE COULD HAVE ALSO HAD AN ASYMMETRIC SITUATION. THE DEICE CREW COULD HAVE STOPPED THE PUSHBACK UNTIL BOTH WINGS WERE COMPLETED BUT CHOSE NOT TO; CREATING A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.