Narrative:

A major low pressure system had moved over the area; encompassing several states. We were experiencing a lot of precipitation ranging from rain; thunderstorms; snow and ice pellets. This flight was scheduled to fly to ZZZ1 where ATIS was not only reporting migratory birds at the airport; but also low IFR conditions. The aircraft had MEL captain eyebrow window heat system deferred. It was my opinion; considering the factors mentioned above; that it was not prudent to operate into ZZZ1 with this item deferred. Both capts (aircraft was refused and reassigned to another ZZZ1 flight later that day) supported me in my decision to refuse the aircraft. After the aircraft was refused the first time; a maintenance controller called and said I was not authority/authorized to refuse the aircraft as the placard did not state that the aircraft could not be operated in known or forecast icing conditions. Also stating that I only can refuse the aircraft based on the parameters stated in the placard. After a lengthy and heated discussion; I told him he was incorrect; and that I could refuse the aircraft for whatever reason I wanted using good judgement. And in my opinion that was a safety issue regarding the window's integrity and the bird activity at the airport. I have always been told that by removing the heating from the window; the window becomes weakened or more brittle. So after considering the WX at the departure station; en route and arrival station; adding in the bird activity; I deemed the aircraft unsuitable for this flight. After the discussion with maintenance; I felt that the controller was trying to strong arm me into accepting an aircraft against my better judgement. Again; after I spoke with both capts they had supported me and that they would like a different aircraft to take to ZZZ1 considering all the conditions. I stayed with my original decision and did not rescind my refusal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CAPT REFUSES ACFT WITH MEL FOR EYEBROW WINDOW HEAT INOP WHEN NOTAMS REVEAL ICING CONDITIONS AND MIGRATORY BIRD ACTIVITY.

Narrative: A MAJOR LOW PRESSURE SYS HAD MOVED OVER THE AREA; ENCOMPASSING SEVERAL STATES. WE WERE EXPERIENCING A LOT OF PRECIP RANGING FROM RAIN; TSTMS; SNOW AND ICE PELLETS. THIS FLT WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY TO ZZZ1 WHERE ATIS WAS NOT ONLY RPTING MIGRATORY BIRDS AT THE ARPT; BUT ALSO LOW IFR CONDITIONS. THE ACFT HAD MEL CAPT EYEBROW WINDOW HEAT SYS DEFERRED. IT WAS MY OPINION; CONSIDERING THE FACTORS MENTIONED ABOVE; THAT IT WAS NOT PRUDENT TO OPERATE INTO ZZZ1 WITH THIS ITEM DEFERRED. BOTH CAPTS (ACFT WAS REFUSED AND REASSIGNED TO ANOTHER ZZZ1 FLT LATER THAT DAY) SUPPORTED ME IN MY DECISION TO REFUSE THE ACFT. AFTER THE ACFT WAS REFUSED THE FIRST TIME; A MAINT CTLR CALLED AND SAID I WAS NOT AUTH TO REFUSE THE ACFT AS THE PLACARD DID NOT STATE THAT THE ACFT COULD NOT BE OPERATED IN KNOWN OR FORECAST ICING CONDITIONS. ALSO STATING THAT I ONLY CAN REFUSE THE ACFT BASED ON THE PARAMETERS STATED IN THE PLACARD. AFTER A LENGTHY AND HEATED DISCUSSION; I TOLD HIM HE WAS INCORRECT; AND THAT I COULD REFUSE THE ACFT FOR WHATEVER REASON I WANTED USING GOOD JUDGEMENT. AND IN MY OPINION THAT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE REGARDING THE WINDOW'S INTEGRITY AND THE BIRD ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD THAT BY REMOVING THE HEATING FROM THE WINDOW; THE WINDOW BECOMES WEAKENED OR MORE BRITTLE. SO AFTER CONSIDERING THE WX AT THE DEP STATION; ENRTE AND ARR STATION; ADDING IN THE BIRD ACTIVITY; I DEEMED THE ACFT UNSUITABLE FOR THIS FLT. AFTER THE DISCUSSION WITH MAINT; I FELT THAT THE CTLR WAS TRYING TO STRONG ARM ME INTO ACCEPTING AN ACFT AGAINST MY BETTER JUDGEMENT. AGAIN; AFTER I SPOKE WITH BOTH CAPTS THEY HAD SUPPORTED ME AND THAT THEY WOULD LIKE A DIFFERENT ACFT TO TAKE TO ZZZ1 CONSIDERING ALL THE CONDITIONS. I STAYED WITH MY ORIGINAL DECISION AND DID NOT RESCIND MY REFUSAL.

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.