Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Training / Qualification; Workload
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Company Policy; Procedure
This event raises serious concerns about deviation from approved standard deicing procedures. 1. De-icing before aircraft is configured for Deice. Arrived at aircraft approximately 45 mins prior to ETD. Started walk around and one deice truck had started to deice/pre-treat aircraft. I asked the driver if they had confirmed with the crew if the aircraft was configured for deice. They said no one was in the aircraft and the cargo door was closed (belly doors were opened) so they were good to go. We had been in the aircraft with the APU and packs running. After my walk around was complete I discussed with the ramp deice supervisor the necessity of configuring the aircraft before deicing. 2. On the radio; an aircraft was given their Deice report and a good to go report from a de-ice supervisor; but the aircraft next to them advised them that the top of their aircraft was not de-iced. So the departing aircraft requested to be de-iced and anti-iced again. 3. Mechanic at our aircraft told us that other aircraft were de-iced and anti-iced piecemeal and in sections. I opened our door to witness Type IV applied to outboard section of left wing when the left engine and inboard section of left wing and fuselage were not clean. I don't believe this method is in accordance with our established procedures. 4. I was told by a manager that the top of the 767 is not a critical surface. This is a true statement but the top of all of our aircraft STILL need to be de-iced when they are covered with anything other than thin frost and anti-iced when necessary. 5. Our aircraft was deiced in the blocks. During the process I asked how the truck was going to get around the loading dock to treat the left front of the fuselage and it appeared like it was an odd request. I told them 'Yes I need the all the Icicles and snow removed from the entire aircraft'. The left nose was deiced after we blocked out. The events I witnessed and conversations I had and heard over the radio create a lack of confidence that our aircraft not are being deiced properly in accordance with established procedures.
B767 Captain questioned the de-ice crew procedure to not deice the fuselage top; their piecemeal deice procedure; and reluctance to deice any surface other than flight control surfaces. The Captain directed all ice and icicles be removed.