Hail damage results when large transport flies into WX.

Attributes
ACN	270822
Time
Date	199405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : smo airport : mex
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : mmex
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 5200 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	270822
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On the tupa 1 departure from mexico city international airport runway 23R, climbing through approximately 15000 MSL, the captain was flying and I was inside the cockpit setting up and cross tuning the departure SID because of its complexity. There were both cumulus and stratus clouds around us, so I asked the captain if he wanted the radar switched on. He stated no because he could pick his way around the clouds. The route he had chosen evidently closed up because we found ourselves in heavy precipitation, turbulence, and hail. I then turned the radar on and we exited the clouds after approximately 2 mins. My DME ceased working, but nothing else was noted. We continued to dfw IAP. Upon landing, maintenance discovered hail damage to the aircraft leading edges, radome, and engines. I feel the high terrain around mexico and language differences with the controller may have contributed to this situation development. I'm not sure I have any recommendations that would remedy the situation at this time.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HAIL DAMAGE RESULTS WHEN LGT FLIES INTO WX.

Narrative: ON THE TUPA 1 DEP FROM MEXICO CITY INTL ARPT RWY 23R, CLBING THROUGH APPROX 15000 MSL, THE CAPT WAS FLYING AND I WAS INSIDE THE COCKPIT SETTING UP AND CROSS TUNING THE DEP SID BECAUSE OF ITS COMPLEXITY. THERE WERE BOTH CUMULUS AND STRATUS CLOUDS AROUND US, SO I ASKED THE CAPT IF HE WANTED THE RADAR SWITCHED ON. HE STATED NO BECAUSE HE COULD PICK HIS WAY AROUND THE CLOUDS. THE RTE HE HAD CHOSEN EVIDENTLY CLOSED UP BECAUSE WE FOUND OURSELVES IN HVY PRECIPITATION, TURB, AND HAIL. I THEN TURNED THE RADAR ON AND WE EXITED THE CLOUDS AFTER APPROX 2 MINS. MY DME CEASED WORKING, BUT NOTHING ELSE WAS NOTED. WE CONTINUED TO DFW IAP. UPON LNDG, MAINT DISCOVERED HAIL DAMAGE TO THE ACFT LEADING EDGES, RADOME, AND ENGS. I FEEL THE HIGH TERRAIN AROUND MEXICO AND LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES WITH THE CTLR MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS SIT DEVELOPMENT. I'M NOT SURE I HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WOULD REMEDY THE SIT AT THIS TIME.

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.