Narrative:

45 mins into flight from gdl to sfo, the flight attendant came to the flight deck to report what looked like damage to the top of the right flap. I went back to inspect, and saw what looked like a 3 inch piece of paint peeling off the top of the flap. This did not cause any flight irregularities and the flight went on (3 hours 5 mins) uninterrupted to the destination. On the ground upon inspection, it was noted that this was not paint but fiberglass the top of the flap had obviously been struck by a vehicle in gdl. The preflight had been followed by company procedures the underneath of the flap was inspected very thoroughly and it was noted that the paint was pitted but no damage to the metal. The pitting is caused by FOD kicked up from the main tires. It was noted of all the FOD at the airport and was mentioned to the captain. The top of the wing was inspected from the aft of the aircraft and no known damage. An ice inspection was not required. It was 78 degree F at the time of preflight. Thus ice obviously played no factor. Conclusion: the aircraft was hit by a vehicle in gdl and was not reported. Supplemental information from 228238. In my opinion, the flap was struck when it was in an extended position. Probably during an inspection. The aircraft had remained overnight at gdl, and would have ben svced by mexican personnel. Since it was not reported by the local workers in gdl, it may be a problem, in that these people are afraid to report aircraft damage.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSTFLT INSPECTION REVEALS POSSIBLE GND EQUIP INVOLVEMENT IN ACFT DAMAGED AT DEP ARPT.

Narrative: 45 MINS INTO FLT FROM GDL TO SFO, THE FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE FLT DECK TO RPT WHAT LOOKED LIKE DAMAGE TO THE TOP OF THE R FLAP. I WENT BACK TO INSPECT, AND SAW WHAT LOOKED LIKE A 3 INCH PIECE OF PAINT PEELING OFF THE TOP OF THE FLAP. THIS DID NOT CAUSE ANY FLT IRREGULARITIES AND THE FLT WENT ON (3 HRS 5 MINS) UNINTERRUPTED TO THE DEST. ON THE GND UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS NOTED THAT THIS WAS NOT PAINT BUT FIBERGLASS THE TOP OF THE FLAP HAD OBVIOUSLY BEEN STRUCK BY A VEHICLE IN GDL. THE PREFLT HAD BEEN FOLLOWED BY COMPANY PROCS THE UNDERNEATH OF THE FLAP WAS INSPECTED VERY THOROUGHLY AND IT WAS NOTED THAT THE PAINT WAS PITTED BUT NO DAMAGE TO THE METAL. THE PITTING IS CAUSED BY FOD KICKED UP FROM THE MAIN TIRES. IT WAS NOTED OF ALL THE FOD AT THE ARPT AND WAS MENTIONED TO THE CAPT. THE TOP OF THE WING WAS INSPECTED FROM THE AFT OF THE ACFT AND NO KNOWN DAMAGE. AN ICE INSPECTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. IT WAS 78 DEG F AT THE TIME OF PREFLT. THUS ICE OBVIOUSLY PLAYED NO FACTOR. CONCLUSION: THE ACFT WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE IN GDL AND WAS NOT RPTED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM 228238. IN MY OPINION, THE FLAP WAS STRUCK WHEN IT WAS IN AN EXTENDED POS. PROBABLY DURING AN INSPECTION. THE ACFT HAD REMAINED OVERNIGHT AT GDL, AND WOULD HAVE BEN SVCED BY MEXICAN PERSONNEL. SINCE IT WAS NOT RPTED BY THE LCL WORKERS IN GDL, IT MAY BE A PROBLEM, IN THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE AFRAID TO RPT ACFT DAMAGE.

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.