Narrative:

Outside air temperature +2 degrees C. On arrival to gate; both my first officer and I noticed that the aircraft was covered in frost. An overwing inspection confirmed the presence of frost on the wings; so I called maintenance for a deicing after pushback. A mechanic came up to the aircraft to inform me that there was only 'moisture' on the wings. In doubt of this; I went down to inspect the wings for myself. On a ladder and with an ice check wand; I confirmed the presence of the still-existing frost. I could clearly see the scrape lines in the frost made by the wand. I asked the mechanic who was still standing there to check for himself; which he did and told me that it was only moisture. I told him we would need a deicing before departure. Maybe better training for the 'ice checkers.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPTAIN OF UNKNOWN ACR ACFT TYPE REPORTS GND CREW'S ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT HIS REQUEST FOR DE-ICING PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: OUTSIDE AIR TEMP +2 DEGS C. ON ARR TO GATE; BOTH MY FO AND I NOTICED THAT THE ACFT WAS COVERED IN FROST. AN OVERWING INSPECTION CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF FROST ON THE WINGS; SO I CALLED MAINT FOR A DEICING AFTER PUSHBACK. A MECH CAME UP TO THE ACFT TO INFORM ME THAT THERE WAS ONLY 'MOISTURE' ON THE WINGS. IN DOUBT OF THIS; I WENT DOWN TO INSPECT THE WINGS FOR MYSELF. ON A LADDER AND WITH AN ICE CHK WAND; I CONFIRMED THE PRESENCE OF THE STILL-EXISTING FROST. I COULD CLEARLY SEE THE SCRAPE LINES IN THE FROST MADE BY THE WAND. I ASKED THE MECH WHO WAS STILL STANDING THERE TO CHK FOR HIMSELF; WHICH HE DID AND TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ONLY MOISTURE. I TOLD HIM WE WOULD NEED A DEICING BEFORE DEP. MAYBE BETTER TRAINING FOR THE 'ICE CHECKERS.'

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.