Narrative:

Taxiing into the gate at bfl we were advised edc times were in effect to lax, estimate 35-40 min delay. Arrived at AM50 we advised anything earlier we would appreciate. He, the controller, came back and said if we could make AM03 we could take it otherwise it would be 25-30 past. In the interest of keeping on time and getting the passenger to their connections we accepted the time. By the time the passenger were on board it was AM30. We had 3 min to get to the runway. I was finishing my duties as the captain started to taxi. As he did it felt like we ran over something. I looked outside to see if I could see anything and couldn't. He turned the aircraft to see the ramper and she was picking up a box off the ramp. The captain signaled to her to see if everything was okay, and she said yes. He assumed we ran over the box. We then departed to lax. After departure the captain called the station back and they said he hit the gpu. He advised me of this and we determined that the aircraft was flying normally and would continue to lax. He called back to see if they saw any damage to the aircraft and they said no. When we arrived in lax we checked the tail and saw the lower fin was damaged. We grounded the aircraft and advised maintenance and company of the situation. I believe the contributing factors to the situation were trying to make a quick flow time and being too rushed out of the gate. Judgement was also a factor by using the ramper's judgement instead of shutting down and checking for ourselves. Supplemental information from acn 274127: in the haste to meet the deadline, when the gpu was disconnected, it was left behind the wing instead of being moved. When I moved forward and turned to the left towards the taxiway the tail struck the gpu. Lessons learned -- don't be in a hurry. Always move the ground equipment out of the way. If you are not sure, always, always, always shut it down and check it for yourself.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DAMAGED IN GND INCIDENT DURING RAMP OP RAMP DEP PROC.

Narrative: TAXIING INTO THE GATE AT BFL WE WERE ADVISED EDC TIMES WERE IN EFFECT TO LAX, ESTIMATE 35-40 MIN DELAY. ARRIVED AT AM50 WE ADVISED ANYTHING EARLIER WE WOULD APPRECIATE. HE, THE CTLR, CAME BACK AND SAID IF WE COULD MAKE AM03 WE COULD TAKE IT OTHERWISE IT WOULD BE 25-30 PAST. IN THE INTEREST OF KEEPING ON TIME AND GETTING THE PAX TO THEIR CONNECTIONS WE ACCEPTED THE TIME. BY THE TIME THE PAX WERE ON BOARD IT WAS AM30. WE HAD 3 MIN TO GET TO THE RWY. I WAS FINISHING MY DUTIES AS THE CAPT STARTED TO TAXI. AS HE DID IT FELT LIKE WE RAN OVER SOMETHING. I LOOKED OUTSIDE TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING AND COULDN'T. HE TURNED THE ACFT TO SEE THE RAMPER AND SHE WAS PICKING UP A BOX OFF THE RAMP. THE CAPT SIGNALED TO HER TO SEE IF EVERYTHING WAS OKAY, AND SHE SAID YES. HE ASSUMED WE RAN OVER THE BOX. WE THEN DEPARTED TO LAX. AFTER DEP THE CAPT CALLED THE STATION BACK AND THEY SAID HE HIT THE GPU. HE ADVISED ME OF THIS AND WE DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT WAS FLYING NORMALLY AND WOULD CONTINUE TO LAX. HE CALLED BACK TO SEE IF THEY SAW ANY DAMAGE TO THE ACFT AND THEY SAID NO. WHEN WE ARRIVED IN LAX WE CHKED THE TAIL AND SAW THE LOWER FIN WAS DAMAGED. WE GNDED THE ACFT AND ADVISED MAINT AND COMPANY OF THE SIT. I BELIEVE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE SIT WERE TRYING TO MAKE A QUICK FLOW TIME AND BEING TOO RUSHED OUT OF THE GATE. JUDGEMENT WAS ALSO A FACTOR BY USING THE RAMPER'S JUDGEMENT INSTEAD OF SHUTTING DOWN AND CHKING FOR OURSELVES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 274127: IN THE HASTE TO MEET THE DEADLINE, WHEN THE GPU WAS DISCONNECTED, IT WAS LEFT BEHIND THE WING INSTEAD OF BEING MOVED. WHEN I MOVED FORWARD AND TURNED TO THE L TOWARDS THE TXWY THE TAIL STRUCK THE GPU. LESSONS LEARNED -- DON'T BE IN A HURRY. ALWAYS MOVE THE GND EQUIP OUT OF THE WAY. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS SHUT IT DOWN AND CHK IT FOR YOURSELF.

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.