Narrative:

During preflight inspection, I noticed a large amount of clear ice on aircraft surfaces. After completing a walkaround inspection, I wanted to view the upper wing surfaces from an overwing exit for ice. Not being able to see clearly through the emergency exit cabin window, I thought that opening the exit door would give me a much clrer view of the amount of ice on the wings. I hesitated for a moment to question if aircraft had overwing escape slides. I then viewed emergency placards on door for pictures of slides and use in an emergency, and none were placarded on this aircraft. I then asked my B flight attendant if this aircraft has emergency wing escape slides, and she said no (I said are you sure?), she said let me check with the other 2 flight attendants on board, they also said 'no' to aircraft having escape wing slides. I then opened the right wing emergency exit door and the slide deployed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DURING PREFLT, A PLT HAS AN INADVERTENT ACTIVATION OF AIRBUS 319 OVER WING ESCAPE SLIDES WHEN OPENING THE EXIT TO INSPECT FOR ICE ACCUMULATION ON THE WING.

Narrative: DURING PREFLT INSPECTION, I NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF CLR ICE ON ACFT SURFACES. AFTER COMPLETING A WALKAROUND INSPECTION, I WANTED TO VIEW THE UPPER WING SURFACES FROM AN OVERWING EXIT FOR ICE. NOT BEING ABLE TO SEE CLRLY THROUGH THE EMER EXIT CABIN WINDOW, I THOUGHT THAT OPENING THE EXIT DOOR WOULD GIVE ME A MUCH CLRER VIEW OF THE AMOUNT OF ICE ON THE WINGS. I HESITATED FOR A MOMENT TO QUESTION IF ACFT HAD OVERWING ESCAPE SLIDES. I THEN VIEWED EMER PLACARDS ON DOOR FOR PICTURES OF SLIDES AND USE IN AN EMER, AND NONE WERE PLACARDED ON THIS ACFT. I THEN ASKED MY B FLT ATTENDANT IF THIS ACFT HAS EMER WING ESCAPE SLIDES, AND SHE SAID NO (I SAID ARE YOU SURE?), SHE SAID LET ME CHK WITH THE OTHER 2 FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD, THEY ALSO SAID 'NO' TO ACFT HAVING ESCAPE WING SLIDES. I THEN OPENED THE R WING EMER EXIT DOOR AND THE SLIDE DEPLOYED.

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