Company advises that their B737-400's wings do not require deicing despite flight crew request due t...

Attributes
ACN	715714
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : anc.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	715714
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Company Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

First officer reported after conducting his preflight walkaround inspection of aircraft that the wings had frost adhering on the upper surfaces and would require deicing upon pushback. I told him to contact maintenance-deice so that they would be ready. The lady manning the radio replied that she would send someone over to verify the wings. A few mins later she called us via outbound frequency to advise that our wings were inspected and would not require deicing. I quickly looked the wings over and replied back to her that they were not clear of frost and would; I repeat; would require deicing upon pushback. As it were; we were delayed in the gate long enough for the sun to break over the building and 'burn off' the frost prior to our being ready to push back from the gate. It was our feelings that we were being 'pressured' to take the aircraft as being ready for flight when we in fact knew that it was not safe. I suggest that this policy be stopped so that it isn't repeated to a crew that may take the word of an inspector that they are ok; when the situation really is not safe; nor legal per the fom and far's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY ADVISES THAT THEIR B737-400'S WINGS DO NOT REQUIRE DEICING DESPITE FLT CREW REQUEST DUE TO FROST. CAPT REMINDS COMPANY THAT THE DECISION IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF FLT CREWS; NOT GND PERSONNEL. EXPOSURE TO SUN DURING SUBSEQUENT DELAY MAKES THE ISSUE MOOT.

Narrative: FO RPTED AFTER CONDUCTING HIS PREFLT WALKAROUND INSPECTION OF ACFT THAT THE WINGS HAD FROST ADHERING ON THE UPPER SURFACES AND WOULD REQUIRE DEICING UPON PUSHBACK. I TOLD HIM TO CONTACT MAINT-DEICE SO THAT THEY WOULD BE READY. THE LADY MANNING THE RADIO REPLIED THAT SHE WOULD SEND SOMEONE OVER TO VERIFY THE WINGS. A FEW MINS LATER SHE CALLED US VIA OUTBOUND FREQ TO ADVISE THAT OUR WINGS WERE INSPECTED AND WOULD NOT REQUIRE DEICING. I QUICKLY LOOKED THE WINGS OVER AND REPLIED BACK TO HER THAT THEY WERE NOT CLR OF FROST AND WOULD; I REPEAT; WOULD REQUIRE DEICING UPON PUSHBACK. AS IT WERE; WE WERE DELAYED IN THE GATE LONG ENOUGH FOR THE SUN TO BREAK OVER THE BUILDING AND 'BURN OFF' THE FROST PRIOR TO OUR BEING READY TO PUSH BACK FROM THE GATE. IT WAS OUR FEELINGS THAT WE WERE BEING 'PRESSURED' TO TAKE THE ACFT AS BEING READY FOR FLT WHEN WE IN FACT KNEW THAT IT WAS NOT SAFE. I SUGGEST THAT THIS POLICY BE STOPPED SO THAT IT ISN'T REPEATED TO A CREW THAT MAY TAKE THE WORD OF AN INSPECTOR THAT THEY ARE OK; WHEN THE SITUATION REALLY IS NOT SAFE; NOR LEGAL PER THE FOM AND FAR'S.

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.

Company advises that their B737-400's wings do not require deicing despite flight crew request due to frost. Captain reminds company that the decision is the responsibility of flight crews; not ground personnel. Exposure to sun during subsequent delay makes the issue moot.