Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Gate
Weather; Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
I was notified that there were some questions about our de-icing. We were towed to the de-icing pad in Eagle Colorado that snowy morning and the de-icing crew took about 18 minutes to clean the airplane with Type I. They indicated they were done with deicing. I asked them if they were going to apply Type IV. There was a long pause and then they said; yes they would begin Type IV application. In less than 5 minutes they said they were done with Type IV application and gave us the required time and fluid information.The visibility was 3/4 mile with falling snow and freezing conditions. My First Officer and I reviewed the charts and guidance to determine our hold over time and procedures. However; the visibility was below minimums for takeoff and forecast to remain below minimums for many hours. After awhile; with the snow still falling; we planned on getting de-iced with Type I and IV again--should conditions improve--prior to takeoff. Some time later; I contacted Dispatch and Operations to discuss our plan and possibly coordinate our return to the gate. Dispatch asked us to return to the gate around 2 hours after our push time and to coordinate with Operations. Approaching that time; the de-icing crew returned to clean our engines and areas of the wing above our engines; to make it safe for engine start; so we could taxi back to the gate. Upon our return to the gate I noticed that the tops of the wings were a colorful mess: patches of snow; areas of thick green Type IV fluid; areas of snow and orange type I mixed together; and some relatively clear areas above the engines. Another pilot (a former de-icing supervisor at EGE and a passenger) approached me and suggested that the application of Type IV had been rushed; did not thoroughly coat the top of the wings; and that they did not apply enough product from different angles as required by SOPs. I held a meeting of the de-icing supervisor; the Operations Manager; myself and the pilot/passenger onboard the airplane. We all observed the wings and the pilot/passenger and the de-icing supervisor held a long conversation about de-icing techniques and requirements. At the end I asked if they were on the same page and if everyone was in agreement about the de-icing requirements. They both said yes. Based on my direct observation of the wings; I noted significant areas of orange and white snow; where it appeared that the Type IV fluid was missing or possibly where insufficient Type IV fluid had been applied. The unusual appearance of the wing was probably due to many factors: the steady falling snow in freezing conditions; the two hours that elapsed since the original application of Type IV; the subsequent spot cleaning of the engines and wing areas with Type I; and possibly that the Type IV needed to be applied more thickly and evenly. I would encourage the station de-icing crews to review the time and methods it takes to properly apply Type IV fluid; to ensure that they are doing it right!
An air carrier Captain described problems associated with de-icing procedures at EGE.