Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 2 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Troubleshooting
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
On taxi to runway XX; holding short of runway; turned on cabin heat to use defrost (ram air and defrost fully open) for windshield and visible smoke and smoke smell was in the cockpit; turned off heater; and opened crew door; and promptly returned to gate; smoke dissipated and did not continue. At the gate; promptly deplaned passengers; and wrote up airplane.Caused by heater [malfunctioning].
Air Carrier Captain reported a fume/smoke event in cockpit during departure taxi when windshield heat was activated.