Narrative:

Upon checking the ATIS; it was reporting 'pl br.' when the holdover charts were checked; information was obtained that we interpreted as saying; 'with light ice pellets and any other form of precipitation' it is a no-go situation. With 'mist' in the metar; it was noted that this 'mist' was 'precipitation' because of the moisture content and how it was laying on the windshield. The captain called the chief pilot's office for guidance and received; in my opinion; intimidation and a threatening tone to get the aircraft to destination. The chief pilot quoted from the aim that 'mist' is an obscuration. That is true; however; what the chief pilot needs to understand is that the aim is 'advisory' and not regulatory. During all of this; the captain was becoming stressed out to the point of him not being in the right mind frame to make a safe decision. We had an FAA inspector on board watching this whole ordeal unfold. His comment was that CRM was gone because of the chief pilot's position in this matter. I believe the chief pilot was the 'breakdown' point in this matter. His job was to back up the captain with his decision; but the chief pilot kept insisting for us to fly the airplane. In the end; the WX was getting worse and those light ice pellets proceeded to a moderate level where they stayed for the rest of the day. I applaud the captain for standing his ground in the matter. He may have saved 54 people. I believe that the chief pilot was not interested in safety; but in a monetary outcome. Key points: intimidation by chief pilot. FAA inspector ready to start violation process if the aircraft moved. Why did flight control keep calling to see if the aircraft had moved? Flight dispatcher did a good job in understanding our concerns. Captain stood his ground and made sure the flight did not push from the gate while the WX conditions existed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO RPTS STEADFAST REFUSAL OF CAPT TO DEPART UNDER ADVERSE ICING CONDITIONS AS DEMANDED BY CHIEF PLT. ACR INSPECTOR OBSERVED ENTIRE PROCESS.

Narrative: UPON CHKING THE ATIS; IT WAS RPTING 'PL BR.' WHEN THE HOLDOVER CHARTS WERE CHKED; INFO WAS OBTAINED THAT WE INTERPRETED AS SAYING; 'WITH LIGHT ICE PELLETS AND ANY OTHER FORM OF PRECIP' IT IS A NO-GO SITUATION. WITH 'MIST' IN THE METAR; IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS 'MIST' WAS 'PRECIP' BECAUSE OF THE MOISTURE CONTENT AND HOW IT WAS LAYING ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CAPT CALLED THE CHIEF PLT'S OFFICE FOR GUIDANCE AND RECEIVED; IN MY OPINION; INTIMIDATION AND A THREATENING TONE TO GET THE ACFT TO DEST. THE CHIEF PLT QUOTED FROM THE AIM THAT 'MIST' IS AN OBSCURATION. THAT IS TRUE; HOWEVER; WHAT THE CHIEF PLT NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THE AIM IS 'ADVISORY' AND NOT REGULATORY. DURING ALL OF THIS; THE CAPT WAS BECOMING STRESSED OUT TO THE POINT OF HIM NOT BEING IN THE RIGHT MIND FRAME TO MAKE A SAFE DECISION. WE HAD AN FAA INSPECTOR ON BOARD WATCHING THIS WHOLE ORDEAL UNFOLD. HIS COMMENT WAS THAT CRM WAS GONE BECAUSE OF THE CHIEF PLT'S POS IN THIS MATTER. I BELIEVE THE CHIEF PLT WAS THE 'BREAKDOWN' POINT IN THIS MATTER. HIS JOB WAS TO BACK UP THE CAPT WITH HIS DECISION; BUT THE CHIEF PLT KEPT INSISTING FOR US TO FLY THE AIRPLANE. IN THE END; THE WX WAS GETTING WORSE AND THOSE LIGHT ICE PELLETS PROCEEDED TO A MODERATE LEVEL WHERE THEY STAYED FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. I APPLAUD THE CAPT FOR STANDING HIS GROUND IN THE MATTER. HE MAY HAVE SAVED 54 PEOPLE. I BELIEVE THAT THE CHIEF PLT WAS NOT INTERESTED IN SAFETY; BUT IN A MONETARY OUTCOME. KEY POINTS: INTIMIDATION BY CHIEF PLT. FAA INSPECTOR READY TO START VIOLATION PROCESS IF THE ACFT MOVED. WHY DID FLT CTL KEEP CALLING TO SEE IF THE ACFT HAD MOVED? FLT DISPATCHER DID A GOOD JOB IN UNDERSTANDING OUR CONCERNS. CAPT STOOD HIS GROUND AND MADE SURE THE FLT DID NOT PUSH FROM THE GATE WHILE THE WX CONDITIONS EXISTED.

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.