An air carrier flight crew at msp noticed a skin deformation during preflight.

Attributes
ACN	451630
Time
Date	199910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : msp.airport
State Reference	MN
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	451630
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

We received aircraft X the morning of oct/mon/99, after the aircraft remained overnight in msp. The preflight was conducted in night conditions. A deformity in the fuselage skin below door 1L was completely masked by the rubber jetway bumper, making it completely undetectable. It should be noted that overnight maintenance is conducted at msp, and the suspect damage was not detected by msp personnel, probably for the same reason. Den ground personnel noticed the irregularity in the paint surface as the aircraft docked at the gate. Detection was aided by the reflection of the sun which highlighted contrasts on the aircraft skin, enhancing the damage resolution. Although the skin deformity is consistent with a jetway profile, it would be hard to determine where or when such action took place, if that is indeed the case.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC AT MSP NOTICED A SKIN DEFORMATION DURING PREFLT.

Narrative: WE RECEIVED ACFT X THE MORNING OF OCT/MON/99, AFTER THE ACFT REMAINED OVERNIGHT IN MSP. THE PREFLT WAS CONDUCTED IN NIGHT CONDITIONS. A DEFORMITY IN THE FUSELAGE SKIN BELOW DOOR 1L WAS COMPLETELY MASKED BY THE RUBBER JETWAY BUMPER, MAKING IT COMPLETELY UNDETECTABLE. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT OVERNIGHT MAINT IS CONDUCTED AT MSP, AND THE SUSPECT DAMAGE WAS NOT DETECTED BY MSP PERSONNEL, PROBABLY FOR THE SAME REASON. DEN GND PERSONNEL NOTICED THE IRREGULARITY IN THE PAINT SURFACE AS THE ACFT DOCKED AT THE GATE. DETECTION WAS AIDED BY THE REFLECTION OF THE SUN WHICH HIGHLIGHTED CONTRASTS ON THE ACFT SKIN, ENHANCING THE DAMAGE RESOLUTION. ALTHOUGH THE SKIN DEFORMITY IS CONSISTENT WITH A JETWAY PROFILE, IT WOULD BE HARD TO DETERMINE WHERE OR WHEN SUCH ACTION TOOK PLACE, IF THAT IS INDEED THE CASE.

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.