Narrative:

I arrived at the medium large transport approximately 40 mins prior to pushback. I conducted the exterior preflight inspection in accordance with the flight manual. I observed that there was no damage to the horizontal stabilizer or the rest of the aircraft. Following my walkaround, an aircraft service truck drove up to the aft entry door. We completed the cockpit preflight and an uneventful flight was made to mci airport, our intended destination. During the post-flight walkaround, maintenance discovered a fist size dent and a hole in the leading edge of the left side of the horizontal stabilizer. Maintenance stated that it appeared as though a service truck had hit the stabilizer. A temporary patch was installed and we ferried the aircraft to atlanta for repair. One way to prevent this would be to conduct the walkaround after the aircraft was loaded and svced, however, this would result in extended turn times. A better suggestion would be to educate the aircraft servicing truck drivers on the importance (for safety) of reporting to the air crew or maintenance when they damage the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CATERING TRUCK DAMAGED AN ACR MLG. THE CREW FLEW THE TRIP WITH THE DAMAGE AS THEY WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DAMAGE.

Narrative: I ARRIVED AT THE MLG APPROX 40 MINS PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. I CONDUCTED THE EXTERIOR PREFLT INSPECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FLT MANUAL. I OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE HORIZ STABILIZER OR THE REST OF THE ACFT. FOLLOWING MY WALKAROUND, AN ACFT SVC TRUCK DROVE UP TO THE AFT ENTRY DOOR. WE COMPLETED THE COCKPIT PREFLT AND AN UNEVENTFUL FLT WAS MADE TO MCI ARPT, OUR INTENDED DEST. DURING THE POST-FLT WALKAROUND, MAINT DISCOVERED A FIST SIZE DENT AND A HOLE IN THE LEADING EDGE OF THE L SIDE OF THE HORIZ STABILIZER. MAINT STATED THAT IT APPEARED AS THOUGH A SVC TRUCK HAD HIT THE STABILIZER. A TEMPORARY PATCH WAS INSTALLED AND WE FERRIED THE ACFT TO ATLANTA FOR REPAIR. ONE WAY TO PREVENT THIS WOULD BE TO CONDUCT THE WALKAROUND AFTER THE ACFT WAS LOADED AND SVCED, HOWEVER, THIS WOULD RESULT IN EXTENDED TURN TIMES. A BETTER SUGGESTION WOULD BE TO EDUCATE THE ACFT SVCING TRUCK DRIVERS ON THE IMPORTANCE (FOR SAFETY) OF RPTING TO THE AIR CREW OR MAINT WHEN THEY DAMAGE THE ACFT.

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.