First officer complaint about wing ice detection procedure as outlined in airline manual. Procedure ...

Attributes
ACN	129204
Time
Date	198911
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : yvr
State Reference	BC
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 1800
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flight manual requires crew members to conduct wing ice inspection at non-maintenance bases. Manual specifies positioning of ladder that is placed 6' from the fuselage: 'the check for clear ice is accomplished by feeling as much of the wing area, along and aft of the front spar, as can safely be reached from the stand.' it is generally known that this ice, caused by super-cooled fuel and ambient moisture, is difficult to see with the naked eye. I saw what I believe to be ice formed aft (well aft) of the area I could reach. For safety's sake I climbed on the wing and walked back to where I found a think coat of clear ice. This points out the inadequacy of the present ice inspection procedures. On the medium large transport the de-ice bulletin has been revised 8 times that I have recorded in my manual since 1986.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO COMPLAINT ABOUT WING ICE DETECTION PROC AS OUTLINED IN AIRLINE MANUAL. PROC IS FOR GUIDANCE AT NON-MAINTENANCE STATIONS.

Narrative: FLT MANUAL REQUIRES CREW MEMBERS TO CONDUCT WING ICE INSPECTION AT NON-MAINT BASES. MANUAL SPECIFIES POSITIONING OF LADDER THAT IS PLACED 6' FROM THE FUSELAGE: 'THE CHK FOR CLR ICE IS ACCOMPLISHED BY FEELING AS MUCH OF THE WING AREA, ALONG AND AFT OF THE FRONT SPAR, AS CAN SAFELY BE REACHED FROM THE STAND.' IT IS GENERALLY KNOWN THAT THIS ICE, CAUSED BY SUPER-COOLED FUEL AND AMBIENT MOISTURE, IS DIFFICULT TO SEE WITH THE NAKED EYE. I SAW WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE ICE FORMED AFT (WELL AFT) OF THE AREA I COULD REACH. FOR SAFETY'S SAKE I CLBED ON THE WING AND WALKED BACK TO WHERE I FOUND A THINK COAT OF CLR ICE. THIS POINTS OUT THE INADEQUACY OF THE PRESENT ICE INSPECTION PROCS. ON THE MLG THE DE-ICE BULLETIN HAS BEEN REVISED 8 TIMES THAT I HAVE RECORDED IN MY MANUAL SINCE 1986.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

First officer complaint about wing ice detection procedure as outlined in airline manual. Procedure is for guidance at non-maintenance stations.