Narrative:

I performed preflight walkaround while aircraft was being fueled. No defects were present. I left the aircraft to retrieve paperwork. The flight attendant remained on the aircraft. When I returned; the fuel truck was gone. We operated the flight without incident to ZZZ. During postflt inspection; I noticed damage to right wingtip. It appeared to have been damaged by the fuel truck prior to the flight. I think this incident could be avoided by always using marshallers for fuel trucks; improving lighting on the ramp; and increasing required distance from aircraft. This flight was several hours late and may have pressured the ground crew to rush. I suggest a walkaround inspection immediately prior to pushback would have caught this problem sooner. A final inspection by the ground crew after all services were completed; also would have discovered the damage before flight. After seeing the damage; I don't believe the fueler could have done this and not know it. So I suspect he drove off without telling anyone to cover his butt; and without regard for the 50 passenger and 3 crew members who flew 1 flight in a damaged aircraft without knowing it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that the winglet was removed from the aircraft and it was ferried to their maintenance station. He assumed that the damage was limited to the winglet itself. The reporter does not know if the fuel truck driver was located. He completed extensive air carrier paperwork regarding time; location; etc; and assumes that his air carrier went to the fueling contractor. He also commented that since this incident; prior to each pushback; someone other than a crew member walks around the aircraft doing a last min inspection.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CRJ200 PLT DISCOVERS POSTFLT WINGTIP DAMAGE AND SUSPECTS AN UNRPTED FUEL TRUCK ENCOUNTER DURING THE PREVIOUS FLTS FUELING PROCESS AT ORD.

Narrative: I PERFORMED PREFLT WALKAROUND WHILE ACFT WAS BEING FUELED. NO DEFECTS WERE PRESENT. I LEFT THE ACFT TO RETRIEVE PAPERWORK. THE FLT ATTENDANT REMAINED ON THE ACFT. WHEN I RETURNED; THE FUEL TRUCK WAS GONE. WE OPERATED THE FLT WITHOUT INCIDENT TO ZZZ. DURING POSTFLT INSPECTION; I NOTICED DAMAGE TO R WINGTIP. IT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN DAMAGED BY THE FUEL TRUCK PRIOR TO THE FLT. I THINK THIS INCIDENT COULD BE AVOIDED BY ALWAYS USING MARSHALLERS FOR FUEL TRUCKS; IMPROVING LIGHTING ON THE RAMP; AND INCREASING REQUIRED DISTANCE FROM ACFT. THIS FLT WAS SEVERAL HRS LATE AND MAY HAVE PRESSURED THE GND CREW TO RUSH. I SUGGEST A WALKAROUND INSPECTION IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO PUSHBACK WOULD HAVE CAUGHT THIS PROB SOONER. A FINAL INSPECTION BY THE GND CREW AFTER ALL SVCS WERE COMPLETED; ALSO WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED THE DAMAGE BEFORE FLT. AFTER SEEING THE DAMAGE; I DON'T BELIEVE THE FUELER COULD HAVE DONE THIS AND NOT KNOW IT. SO I SUSPECT HE DROVE OFF WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE TO COVER HIS BUTT; AND WITHOUT REGARD FOR THE 50 PAX AND 3 CREW MEMBERS WHO FLEW 1 FLT IN A DAMAGED ACFT WITHOUT KNOWING IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THAT THE WINGLET WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT AND IT WAS FERRIED TO THEIR MAINT STATION. HE ASSUMED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE WINGLET ITSELF. THE RPTR DOES NOT KNOW IF THE FUEL TRUCK DRIVER WAS LOCATED. HE COMPLETED EXTENSIVE ACR PAPERWORK REGARDING TIME; LOCATION; ETC; AND ASSUMES THAT HIS ACR WENT TO THE FUELING CONTRACTOR. HE ALSO COMMENTED THAT SINCE THIS INCIDENT; PRIOR TO EACH PUSHBACK; SOMEONE OTHER THAN A CREW MEMBER WALKS AROUND THE ACFT DOING A LAST MIN INSPECTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.