Narrative:

I got to the aircraft after most all passenger and the rest of the crew was onboard. I introduced myself to the crew; stowed my bags and proceeded outside to do my walkaround. During the walkaround I noticed a large area of frost below the right wing. I asked the crew chief to get a ladder so I could inspect the top of the wing for any visible areas of frost. Upon inspection I found close to 30% of the top of the wing to contain frost. At the time no precipitation was falling so a deice with type 1 would be required. Upon completing the walkaround I informed captain of the condition of the wing and the need for deicing. He agreed with my assessment. We then called ramp and told them we would need deicing prior to takeoff. When we were done with all checklists and closed up outside I called for push. We were cleared to push. After about 10 ft of aircraft movement; we were told to stop and pull back onto the gate. I asked why. We were told a 'crew' was on the way to see if we needed to be deiced. I asked what crew. I was told just a crew. I then told ramp the flight crew had already determined that the aircraft needed to be deiced and that was final. This is a direct attempt by my air carrier to run an end around the captain's authority/authorized. This is a safety issue. The flight crew was being told that 'a crew' would make the call. That is not how it works. We never saw this crew; talked to this crew or were told any specifics as to the qualifications of this 'crew;' this is a safety issue. Please be aware that the flight crew has the final say as to the condition of the aircraft; not some mystery crew. We did proceed to the east side and were deiced 60/40 type 1. I am very disappointed in my air carrier's ignorance of safety in regards to this incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FO FINDS FROST ON THE TOP OF THE WING AND REQUESTS DEICING. FLT CREW IS INFORMED THAT A COMPANY CREW WILL MAKE THE DETERMINATION. FLT CREW DISAGREES AND ACFT IS DE-ICED.

Narrative: I GOT TO THE ACFT AFTER MOST ALL PAX AND THE REST OF THE CREW WAS ONBOARD. I INTRODUCED MYSELF TO THE CREW; STOWED MY BAGS AND PROCEEDED OUTSIDE TO DO MY WALKAROUND. DURING THE WALKAROUND I NOTICED A LARGE AREA OF FROST BELOW THE R WING. I ASKED THE CREW CHIEF TO GET A LADDER SO I COULD INSPECT THE TOP OF THE WING FOR ANY VISIBLE AREAS OF FROST. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND CLOSE TO 30% OF THE TOP OF THE WING TO CONTAIN FROST. AT THE TIME NO PRECIP WAS FALLING SO A DEICE WITH TYPE 1 WOULD BE REQUIRED. UPON COMPLETING THE WALKAROUND I INFORMED CAPT OF THE CONDITION OF THE WING AND THE NEED FOR DEICING. HE AGREED WITH MY ASSESSMENT. WE THEN CALLED RAMP AND TOLD THEM WE WOULD NEED DEICING PRIOR TO TKOF. WHEN WE WERE DONE WITH ALL CHKLISTS AND CLOSED UP OUTSIDE I CALLED FOR PUSH. WE WERE CLRED TO PUSH. AFTER ABOUT 10 FT OF ACFT MOVEMENT; WE WERE TOLD TO STOP AND PULL BACK ONTO THE GATE. I ASKED WHY. WE WERE TOLD A 'CREW' WAS ON THE WAY TO SEE IF WE NEEDED TO BE DEICED. I ASKED WHAT CREW. I WAS TOLD JUST A CREW. I THEN TOLD RAMP THE FLT CREW HAD ALREADY DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT NEEDED TO BE DEICED AND THAT WAS FINAL. THIS IS A DIRECT ATTEMPT BY MY ACR TO RUN AN END AROUND THE CAPT'S AUTH. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FLT CREW WAS BEING TOLD THAT 'A CREW' WOULD MAKE THE CALL. THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS. WE NEVER SAW THIS CREW; TALKED TO THIS CREW OR WERE TOLD ANY SPECIFICS AS TO THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THIS 'CREW;' THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THE FLT CREW HAS THE FINAL SAY AS TO THE CONDITION OF THE ACFT; NOT SOME MYSTERY CREW. WE DID PROCEED TO THE E SIDE AND WERE DEICED 60/40 TYPE 1. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY ACR'S IGNORANCE OF SAFETY IN REGARDS TO THIS INCIDENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.