Narrative:

Flight arrived in sna with an inbound fuel load of 14.9. Flight had been at FL390 with an OAT of -60 C or colder. Frost was noted by the first officer during walkaround to be within limits on the lower wing surface. We added fuel for our departure to 19.8. Push back was accomplished at XA50. After startup the flight attendants called with a passenger's concern of frost on the top side of the wing. With engines running; the fuel temperature was noted at 0 C. We confirmed the frost and returned to gate. Maintenance control was contacted and contract services crew arrived and verified frost. No deice equipment was available. Contract service provides deicing using pressurized hot water. Ground crews removed the frost from our aircraft upper and lower surfaces with this method. We added additional fuel to further increase the fuel temperature. Contract maintenance and myself conducted the numerous inspections of the upper and lower surfaces to ensure the water used for deicing did not freeze and that environmental frost did not form. Flight departed at XC30 with a clean wing. Fuel temperature after startup was noted at +4 C. OAT was 14 C. Tankering fuel into stations must consider deice capabilities; temperatures at cruise altitudes; OAT; and precipitation at said stations. Time of day and temperature dewpoint spreads may also be considered. Further; flight crews must consider the upper surfaces any time a cold soaked wing is encountered.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COLD SOAKED FUEL FROM INBOUND FLIGHT RESULTS IN FROST FORMING ON UPPER SURFACE OF B737-700 WING ON SUBSEQUENT DEPARTURE.

Narrative: FLT ARRIVED IN SNA WITH AN INBOUND FUEL LOAD OF 14.9. FLT HAD BEEN AT FL390 WITH AN OAT OF -60 C OR COLDER. FROST WAS NOTED BY THE FO DURING WALKAROUND TO BE WITHIN LIMITS ON THE LOWER WING SURFACE. WE ADDED FUEL FOR OUR DEP TO 19.8. PUSH BACK WAS ACCOMPLISHED AT XA50. AFTER STARTUP THE FLT ATTENDANTS CALLED WITH A PAX'S CONCERN OF FROST ON THE TOP SIDE OF THE WING. WITH ENGS RUNNING; THE FUEL TEMP WAS NOTED AT 0 C. WE CONFIRMED THE FROST AND RETURNED TO GATE. MAINT CTL WAS CONTACTED AND CONTRACT SERVICES CREW ARRIVED AND VERIFIED FROST. NO DEICE EQUIP WAS AVAILABLE. CONTRACT SERVICE PROVIDES DEICING USING PRESSURIZED HOT WATER. GND CREWS REMOVED THE FROST FROM OUR ACFT UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES WITH THIS METHOD. WE ADDED ADDITIONAL FUEL TO FURTHER INCREASE THE FUEL TEMP. CONTRACT MAINT AND MYSELF CONDUCTED THE NUMEROUS INSPECTIONS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES TO ENSURE THE WATER USED FOR DEICING DID NOT FREEZE AND THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FROST DID NOT FORM. FLT DEPARTED AT XC30 WITH A CLEAN WING. FUEL TEMP AFTER STARTUP WAS NOTED AT +4 C. OAT WAS 14 C. TANKERING FUEL INTO STATIONS MUST CONSIDER DEICE CAPABILITIES; TEMPS AT CRUISE ALTS; OAT; AND PRECIP AT SAID STATIONS. TIME OF DAY AND TEMP DEWPOINT SPREADS MAY ALSO BE CONSIDERED. FURTHER; FLT CREWS MUST CONSIDER THE UPPER SURFACES ANY TIME A COLD SOAKED WING IS ENCOUNTERED.

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.