Narrative:

Due to thunderstorm in ZZZ we could not depart until around XA00; a 4 hour wait. We were released by ATC and boarded flight for return to ZZZ. At that time; thunderstorms had moved in and local ATC was reporting windshear and microburst on the field. We significantly delayed our takeoff and waited for some more favorable reports before departure. 2 other aircraft were also standing by for takeoff. While waiting; we communicated with dispatch about the best route back to ZZZ and with the tower for the best departure path. We concurred that if the WX permitted we would be departing toward the south and when clear of the WX turn east towards ZZZ. While these discussions were taking place; the WX improved and the 2 other aircraft departed. We obtained PIREP from them that they did not experience any windshear on departure. The wind shifted from southeast to northwest and the north of the airport started to clear up; the tower switched the departing runway; and we took off towards the north. We then made a 180 degree turn towards the south. Looking at the WX radar; I could see numerous cells in front of us and a gap towards the southeast which will put us in the right direction for ZZZ. I was the PF and initiated a turn towards the southeast at the same time I was looking outside to confirm what I saw on the radar; but I quickly realized that the hole was closing rapidly and that we had to keep turning left and make a 270 degree turn back towards the south. While we were turning at about 180 degrees (wbound) we were surrounded by the WX and the ride started with light chop; increasing to moderate chop. I looked at the radar and idented a gap with patchy grain that seemed to be of lesser intensity than the rest; leveled the wings; maintained 280 KTS (va) and we went through some moderate turbulence; as well as what we thought at the time was some heavy precipitation. The turbulence lasted not more than 20 seconds; was moderate at most; there was no loss of aircraft control. After that; we were in the clear and proceeded to ZZZ without further turbulence. Once we arrived in ZZZ there were no gates available for us to park so we had to wait about 30 mins on the ground. After the flight; I asked the flight attendants if the passenger were ok during the turbulence; and they told me that there was no problem. As the first officer was doing the postflt; he noticed that the mechanics were already attending the nose of the aircraft and that the radome was off the nose. He queried the mechanics who told him that there was some damage on the paint and on a static strip. He offered to get the captain so we could write it up in the log but the mechanics said that it was not necessary. Later on; the first officer told me what had happened and that the mechanics did not need a write-up because they were already attending the aircraft. I also received a call from scheduling telling me that maintenance wanted to talk to me. I contacted them and they explained they wanted a report about the turbulence encountered so they could perform the appropriate actions. I told them moderate at most and no more than 20 seconds. I also offered another time to come back to the aircraft and write it up in the log; which the person I was talking to told me 'let me check with my supervisor.' he came back and told me another time; that I did not need to write it up; that they are taking care of it. I know how important it is to write events in the log and I always do; but I accepted the mechanic's advice.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ700 CAPT REPORTS DAMAGE TO RADOME DURING DEPARTURE. DISCOVERED ON ARRIVAL BY MAINTENANCE BUT NOT ENTERED IN LOG.

Narrative: DUE TO TSTM IN ZZZ WE COULD NOT DEPART UNTIL AROUND XA00; A 4 HR WAIT. WE WERE RELEASED BY ATC AND BOARDED FLT FOR RETURN TO ZZZ. AT THAT TIME; TSTMS HAD MOVED IN AND LCL ATC WAS RPTING WINDSHEAR AND MICROBURST ON THE FIELD. WE SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED OUR TKOF AND WAITED FOR SOME MORE FAVORABLE RPTS BEFORE DEP. 2 OTHER ACFT WERE ALSO STANDING BY FOR TKOF. WHILE WAITING; WE COMMUNICATED WITH DISPATCH ABOUT THE BEST RTE BACK TO ZZZ AND WITH THE TWR FOR THE BEST DEP PATH. WE CONCURRED THAT IF THE WX PERMITTED WE WOULD BE DEPARTING TOWARD THE S AND WHEN CLR OF THE WX TURN E TOWARDS ZZZ. WHILE THESE DISCUSSIONS WERE TAKING PLACE; THE WX IMPROVED AND THE 2 OTHER ACFT DEPARTED. WE OBTAINED PIREP FROM THEM THAT THEY DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY WINDSHEAR ON DEP. THE WIND SHIFTED FROM SE TO NW AND THE N OF THE ARPT STARTED TO CLR UP; THE TWR SWITCHED THE DEPARTING RWY; AND WE TOOK OFF TOWARDS THE N. WE THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN TOWARDS THE S. LOOKING AT THE WX RADAR; I COULD SEE NUMEROUS CELLS IN FRONT OF US AND A GAP TOWARDS THE SE WHICH WILL PUT US IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR ZZZ. I WAS THE PF AND INITIATED A TURN TOWARDS THE SE AT THE SAME TIME I WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE TO CONFIRM WHAT I SAW ON THE RADAR; BUT I QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THE HOLE WAS CLOSING RAPIDLY AND THAT WE HAD TO KEEP TURNING L AND MAKE A 270 DEG TURN BACK TOWARDS THE S. WHILE WE WERE TURNING AT ABOUT 180 DEGS (WBOUND) WE WERE SURROUNDED BY THE WX AND THE RIDE STARTED WITH LIGHT CHOP; INCREASING TO MODERATE CHOP. I LOOKED AT THE RADAR AND IDENTED A GAP WITH PATCHY GRAIN THAT SEEMED TO BE OF LESSER INTENSITY THAN THE REST; LEVELED THE WINGS; MAINTAINED 280 KTS (VA) AND WE WENT THROUGH SOME MODERATE TURB; AS WELL AS WHAT WE THOUGHT AT THE TIME WAS SOME HVY PRECIP. THE TURB LASTED NOT MORE THAN 20 SECONDS; WAS MODERATE AT MOST; THERE WAS NO LOSS OF ACFT CTL. AFTER THAT; WE WERE IN THE CLR AND PROCEEDED TO ZZZ WITHOUT FURTHER TURB. ONCE WE ARRIVED IN ZZZ THERE WERE NO GATES AVAILABLE FOR US TO PARK SO WE HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 30 MINS ON THE GND. AFTER THE FLT; I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS IF THE PAX WERE OK DURING THE TURB; AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO PROB. AS THE FO WAS DOING THE POSTFLT; HE NOTICED THAT THE MECHS WERE ALREADY ATTENDING THE NOSE OF THE ACFT AND THAT THE RADOME WAS OFF THE NOSE. HE QUERIED THE MECHS WHO TOLD HIM THAT THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE ON THE PAINT AND ON A STATIC STRIP. HE OFFERED TO GET THE CAPT SO WE COULD WRITE IT UP IN THE LOG BUT THE MECHS SAID THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY. LATER ON; THE FO TOLD ME WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THAT THE MECHS DID NOT NEED A WRITE-UP BECAUSE THEY WERE ALREADY ATTENDING THE ACFT. I ALSO RECEIVED A CALL FROM SCHEDULING TELLING ME THAT MAINT WANTED TO TALK TO ME. I CONTACTED THEM AND THEY EXPLAINED THEY WANTED A RPT ABOUT THE TURB ENCOUNTERED SO THEY COULD PERFORM THE APPROPRIATE ACTIONS. I TOLD THEM MODERATE AT MOST AND NO MORE THAN 20 SECONDS. I ALSO OFFERED ANOTHER TIME TO COME BACK TO THE ACFT AND WRITE IT UP IN THE LOG; WHICH THE PERSON I WAS TALKING TO TOLD ME 'LET ME CHK WITH MY SUPVR.' HE CAME BACK AND TOLD ME ANOTHER TIME; THAT I DID NOT NEED TO WRITE IT UP; THAT THEY ARE TAKING CARE OF IT. I KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO WRITE EVENTS IN THE LOG AND I ALWAYS DO; BUT I ACCEPTED THE MECH'S ADVICE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.