Narrative:

Approximately 10 mins prior to closing up the aircraft for pushback, APU pwring the aircraft, the first officer was beginning his walk around when he observed a ramp employee driving away from the aircraft with external power cart. The power cord was still plugged into the aircraft. The cord was ripped from its receptacle, resulting in damage to the access door. The first officer finished the walk around and then advised me of the situation, at which time the cabin door was closed. I opened the door and advised the gate agent that I was going down to inspect the damage. Upon arriving at the receptacle, the ramp personnel appeared that they were ready for the pushback. I observed the door damage, and it was obvious that we needed it inspected. I instructed the first officer to call operations on the radio to request a mechanic while I called maintenance. The first officer advised that the aircraft came in with this damage. He then told them that he watched it happen. He then walked down to operations to talk with mr X. Mr X advised him that the ramp personnel advised him that the aircraft arrived with the damage existing. The first officer explained to him that he witnessed the event that caused the damage. Mr X said that he would view the videotape. The aircraft access door was inspected by a mechanic supervisor, and with maintenance's concurrence, the door was taped closed and deferred. We pushed 14 mins late (arrived 2 mins late). I am concerned that the damage would have gone unrpted and that we would have been dispatched without the knowledge of the damage. With the door damaged the way it was, I am very confident that it would have caused significant vibration and or noise that would probably result in a return to the airport and an overweight landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A 320 FLT CREW WHILE PARKED AT THE GATE HAS THE EXTERNAL PWR CART CORD PULLED FROM THE ACFT DAMAGING THE ACCESS DOOR AT MIA.

Narrative: APPROX 10 MINS PRIOR TO CLOSING UP THE ACFT FOR PUSHBACK, APU PWRING THE ACFT, THE FO WAS BEGINNING HIS WALK AROUND WHEN HE OBSERVED A RAMP EMPLOYEE DRIVING AWAY FROM THE ACFT WITH EXTERNAL PWR CART. THE PWR CORD WAS STILL PLUGGED INTO THE ACFT. THE CORD WAS RIPPED FROM ITS RECEPTACLE, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE ACCESS DOOR. THE FO FINISHED THE WALK AROUND AND THEN ADVISED ME OF THE SIT, AT WHICH TIME THE CABIN DOOR WAS CLOSED. I OPENED THE DOOR AND ADVISED THE GATE AGENT THAT I WAS GOING DOWN TO INSPECT THE DAMAGE. UPON ARRIVING AT THE RECEPTACLE, THE RAMP PERSONNEL APPEARED THAT THEY WERE READY FOR THE PUSHBACK. I OBSERVED THE DOOR DAMAGE, AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE NEEDED IT INSPECTED. I INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CALL OPS ON THE RADIO TO REQUEST A MECH WHILE I CALLED MAINT. THE FO ADVISED THAT THE ACFT CAME IN WITH THIS DAMAGE. HE THEN TOLD THEM THAT HE WATCHED IT HAPPEN. HE THEN WALKED DOWN TO OPS TO TALK WITH MR X. MR X ADVISED HIM THAT THE RAMP PERSONNEL ADVISED HIM THAT THE ACFT ARRIVED WITH THE DAMAGE EXISTING. THE FO EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT HE WITNESSED THE EVENT THAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE. MR X SAID THAT HE WOULD VIEW THE VIDEOTAPE. THE ACFT ACCESS DOOR WAS INSPECTED BY A MECH SUPVR, AND WITH MAINT'S CONCURRENCE, THE DOOR WAS TAPED CLOSED AND DEFERRED. WE PUSHED 14 MINS LATE (ARRIVED 2 MINS LATE). I AM CONCERNED THAT THE DAMAGE WOULD HAVE GONE UNRPTED AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE DAMAGE. WITH THE DOOR DAMAGED THE WAY IT WAS, I AM VERY CONFIDENT THAT IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT VIBRATION AND OR NOISE THAT WOULD PROBABLY RESULT IN A RETURN TO THE ARPT AND AN OVERWT LNDG.

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.