Preflight discovery of hail damage. Believe airworthy. Aircraft flown.

Attributes
ACN	181086
Time
Date	199106
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rap
State Reference	SD
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 3200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zzz
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	181086
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 6000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	181171
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a preflight inspection minor hail damage was noticed on the aircraft, probably from a hail storm the evening before while the aircraft was on the ground. Due to the minor nature of the damage the decision was made to fly the aircraft back to home station at denver, stapleton airport. Upon further maintenance inspection at denver some of the widely scattered hail pits were discovered to be out of limits (ie 50/100 inch). The aircraft was then grounded. Recommend the FAA initiate a program to train air crews and/or provide guidance on what is/is not acceptable limits of hail damage for safe flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PREFLT DISCOVERY OF HAIL DAMAGE. BELIEVE AIRWORTHY. ACFT FLOWN.

Narrative: DURING A PREFLT INSPECTION MINOR HAIL DAMAGE WAS NOTICED ON THE ACFT, PROBABLY FROM A HAIL STORM THE EVENING BEFORE WHILE THE ACFT WAS ON THE GND. DUE TO THE MINOR NATURE OF THE DAMAGE THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FLY THE ACFT BACK TO HOME STATION AT DENVER, STAPLETON ARPT. UPON FURTHER MAINT INSPECTION AT DENVER SOME OF THE WIDELY SCATTERED HAIL PITS WERE DISCOVERED TO BE OUT OF LIMITS (IE 50/100 INCH). THE ACFT WAS THEN GNDED. RECOMMEND THE FAA INITIATE A PROGRAM TO TRAIN AIR CREWS AND/OR PROVIDE GUIDANCE ON WHAT IS/IS NOT ACCEPTABLE LIMITS OF HAIL DAMAGE FOR SAFE FLT.

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.