Narrative:

Flight arrived pwm XA45 local to depart XB00 local. Aircraft shutdown, post-flight inspection completed, aircraft satisfactory. I proceeded into operations for WX check of next flight leg. First officer remained on aircraft to obtain clearance. While receiving clearance first officer felt aircraft move slightly. First officer proceeded outside of aircraft and asked ramp agent (loading bags) if anything had struck the aircraft. Agent replied that he may have hit the airstair door while positioning baggage cart to rear of aircraft. First officer advised me of what had taken place. We visually inspected door, it showed no signs of damage. We operated the door several times and the operation was normal. We had no reason to suspect anything else was damaged on the aircraft. Start sequence was normal for both engines nothing unusual was noted. We departed for bos. The flight was normal. Arriving bos at approximately XB45 local. Departure was scheduled at XD30 local. At approximately XD05 local first officer went to aircraft to obtain clearance and supervise fueling. He conducted a preflight inspection and discovered marks on one blade of left propeller. Close inspection of propeller revealed a slight bend near the blade tip. I notified maintenance and dispatch and the aircraft was immediately grounded pending maintenance action. When in doubt, a thorough post- and preflight of aircraft will prevent potentially hazardous situation. Although we had no reason to suspect the propeller blade was damaged.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX SMT FLEW FROM PWM TO BOS AFTER PROPELLER WAS HIT BY BAGGAGE CART CAUSING BLADE SCRATCH AND BEND AT THE TIP.

Narrative: FLT ARRIVED PWM XA45 LCL TO DEPART XB00 LCL. ACFT SHUTDOWN, POST-FLT INSPECTION COMPLETED, ACFT SATISFACTORY. I PROCEEDED INTO OPERATIONS FOR WX CHECK OF NEXT FLT LEG. F/O REMAINED ON ACFT TO OBTAIN CLRNC. WHILE RECEIVING CLRNC F/O FELT ACFT MOVE SLIGHTLY. F/O PROCEEDED OUTSIDE OF ACFT AND ASKED RAMP AGENT (LOADING BAGS) IF ANYTHING HAD STRUCK THE ACFT. AGENT REPLIED THAT HE MAY HAVE HIT THE AIRSTAIR DOOR WHILE POSITIONING BAGGAGE CART TO REAR OF ACFT. F/O ADVISED ME OF WHAT HAD TAKEN PLACE. WE VISUALLY INSPECTED DOOR, IT SHOWED NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE. WE OPERATED THE DOOR SEVERAL TIMES AND THE OPERATION WAS NORMAL. WE HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT ANYTHING ELSE WAS DAMAGED ON THE ACFT. START SEQUENCE WAS NORMAL FOR BOTH ENGINES NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTED. WE DEPARTED FOR BOS. THE FLT WAS NORMAL. ARRIVING BOS AT APPROX XB45 LCL. DEP WAS SCHEDULED AT XD30 LCL. AT APPROX XD05 LCL F/O WENT TO ACFT TO OBTAIN CLRNC AND SUPERVISE FUELING. HE CONDUCTED A PREFLT INSPECTION AND DISCOVERED MARKS ON ONE BLADE OF LEFT PROPELLER. CLOSE INSPECTION OF PROPELLER REVEALED A SLIGHT BEND NEAR THE BLADE TIP. I NOTIFIED MAINT AND DISPATCH AND THE ACFT WAS IMMEDIATELY GNDED PENDING MAINT ACTION. WHEN IN DOUBT, A THOROUGH POST- AND PREFLT OF ACFT WILL PREVENT POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION. ALTHOUGH WE HAD NO REASON TO SUSPECT THE PROPELLER BLADE WAS DAMAGED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.