Narrative:

We de-iced at the gate due to light ice pellets and moderate snow. According to the de-ice form/checklist we use; you must use type 4 fluid for any ice pellets and takeoff must begin within 25 mins of the start of the type 4 application. It took the de-ice crew 19 mins to de-ice with type 4; so we only had 6 mins to meet the holdover time. The other problem was that there are no charts for holdover times for mixed precipitation (ie; ice pellets and snow). So we were not legal as there was no holdover time published for the mixed precipitation. Captain said it appeared to only be snow falling; even though ATIS record specials kept reporting ice pellets and snow. We met the holdover time for the ice pellets; but should have waited for precipitation to change to one or the other so we could appropriately meet the holdover time for the type of icing reported. I told the captain we should not take off and delay or have the company cancel the flight as we were at the beginning of a large winter storm approaching chicago. He said 'we are going -- if we wait; we will never get out of here.' I objected; but he elected to continue anyway and takeoff. Biggest factor -- get-homeitis by captain. 2ND factor -- inability to understand new de-ice checklist/holdover times. 3RD factor -- inadequate training of new fom. 4TH factor -- inability of captain to accept suggestions from his crew.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A 320 PILOT REPORTS TKOF WITH ICE PELLETS AND SNOW FALLING BUT WITHOUT A DE-ICE/HOLDOVER CHECKLIST TO COVER THE EXISTING CONDITIONS.

Narrative: WE DE-ICED AT THE GATE DUE TO LIGHT ICE PELLETS AND MODERATE SNOW. ACCORDING TO THE DE-ICE FORM/CHKLIST WE USE; YOU MUST USE TYPE 4 FLUID FOR ANY ICE PELLETS AND TKOF MUST BEGIN WITHIN 25 MINS OF THE START OF THE TYPE 4 APPLICATION. IT TOOK THE DE-ICE CREW 19 MINS TO DE-ICE WITH TYPE 4; SO WE ONLY HAD 6 MINS TO MEET THE HOLDOVER TIME. THE OTHER PROB WAS THAT THERE ARE NO CHARTS FOR HOLDOVER TIMES FOR MIXED PRECIP (IE; ICE PELLETS AND SNOW). SO WE WERE NOT LEGAL AS THERE WAS NO HOLDOVER TIME PUBLISHED FOR THE MIXED PRECIP. CAPT SAID IT APPEARED TO ONLY BE SNOW FALLING; EVEN THOUGH ATIS RECORD SPECIALS KEPT RPTING ICE PELLETS AND SNOW. WE MET THE HOLDOVER TIME FOR THE ICE PELLETS; BUT SHOULD HAVE WAITED FOR PRECIP TO CHANGE TO ONE OR THE OTHER SO WE COULD APPROPRIATELY MEET THE HOLDOVER TIME FOR THE TYPE OF ICING RPTED. I TOLD THE CAPT WE SHOULD NOT TAKE OFF AND DELAY OR HAVE THE COMPANY CANCEL THE FLT AS WE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF A LARGE WINTER STORM APCHING CHICAGO. HE SAID 'WE ARE GOING -- IF WE WAIT; WE WILL NEVER GET OUT OF HERE.' I OBJECTED; BUT HE ELECTED TO CONTINUE ANYWAY AND TKOF. BIGGEST FACTOR -- GET-HOMEITIS BY CAPT. 2ND FACTOR -- INABILITY TO UNDERSTAND NEW DE-ICE CHKLIST/HOLDOVER TIMES. 3RD FACTOR -- INADEQUATE TRAINING OF NEW FOM. 4TH FACTOR -- INABILITY OF CAPT TO ACCEPT SUGGESTIONS FROM HIS CREW.

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.