Narrative:

While completing the preflight cockpit checks; I was mildly jolted sideways in my seat. Having a clear view of the cargo area; I saw no persons or cargo in the aircraft. As I was exiting the cockpit an FBO employee stepped through the left rear cargo door; off of a belt loader. I asked why he hit the plane. He denied doing so. As I exited the plane I observed 3 items: 1) no other personnel were around; 2) the belt loader was not chocked; and 3) the ramp was dry and clear of FOD. Now I looked over the rear door and belt loader and found a damaged area to the door line up with the belt loader bumper. A boxed section of the door liner covering the locking mechanism and microswitch warning to be folded over and crushed. As I waited for the PIC to show up (could not leave aircraft unsecure) the cargo came. At that time I requested the FBO supervisor to the plane and filled in the supervisor plane side of the incident. PIC shows 20 mins from departure time. We inspect the damaged area. The PIC now states 'if the door will not close he will call operations. If it does close we will advise operations after completing this leg to miami.' the door closed 90% of the way and required a mild push to secure and lock it. We then also noticed some wrinkles around the hinge. With the door locked the PIC declared the door safe for flight. I question him about calling operations 'now.' he tells me no we will do it in miami. After startup; but prior to taxi; the PIC directs me to make a written report for monday. Flight was uneventful; after parking. Securing the plane clearing customs; the PIC now orders me to call maintenance control and advise them of the damage. I call in the incident; talk to operations; maintenance control and a very mad pilot manager for not calling prior to our departure in nassau. I said that the PIC 'declared the door safe.' I make a full written report; facsimile it in and confirm that operations had it and could read it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SHORTS 3-30 ACFT CARGO DOOR IS DAMAGED BY A CARGO LOADER. FLT CREW ACCEPTS THE DAMAGE AND CONTINUES THE FLT TO DEST.

Narrative: WHILE COMPLETING THE PREFLT COCKPIT CHKS; I WAS MILDLY JOLTED SIDEWAYS IN MY SEAT. HAVING A CLR VIEW OF THE CARGO AREA; I SAW NO PERSONS OR CARGO IN THE ACFT. AS I WAS EXITING THE COCKPIT AN FBO EMPLOYEE STEPPED THROUGH THE L REAR CARGO DOOR; OFF OF A BELT LOADER. I ASKED WHY HE HIT THE PLANE. HE DENIED DOING SO. AS I EXITED THE PLANE I OBSERVED 3 ITEMS: 1) NO OTHER PERSONNEL WERE AROUND; 2) THE BELT LOADER WAS NOT CHOCKED; AND 3) THE RAMP WAS DRY AND CLR OF FOD. NOW I LOOKED OVER THE REAR DOOR AND BELT LOADER AND FOUND A DAMAGED AREA TO THE DOOR LINE UP WITH THE BELT LOADER BUMPER. A BOXED SECTION OF THE DOOR LINER COVERING THE LOCKING MECHANISM AND MICROSWITCH WARNING TO BE FOLDED OVER AND CRUSHED. AS I WAITED FOR THE PIC TO SHOW UP (COULD NOT LEAVE ACFT UNSECURE) THE CARGO CAME. AT THAT TIME I REQUESTED THE FBO SUPVR TO THE PLANE AND FILLED IN THE SUPVR PLANE SIDE OF THE INCIDENT. PIC SHOWS 20 MINS FROM DEP TIME. WE INSPECT THE DAMAGED AREA. THE PIC NOW STATES 'IF THE DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE HE WILL CALL OPS. IF IT DOES CLOSE WE WILL ADVISE OPS AFTER COMPLETING THIS LEG TO MIAMI.' THE DOOR CLOSED 90% OF THE WAY AND REQUIRED A MILD PUSH TO SECURE AND LOCK IT. WE THEN ALSO NOTICED SOME WRINKLES AROUND THE HINGE. WITH THE DOOR LOCKED THE PIC DECLARED THE DOOR SAFE FOR FLT. I QUESTION HIM ABOUT CALLING OPS 'NOW.' HE TELLS ME NO WE WILL DO IT IN MIAMI. AFTER STARTUP; BUT PRIOR TO TAXI; THE PIC DIRECTS ME TO MAKE A WRITTEN RPT FOR MONDAY. FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL; AFTER PARKING. SECURING THE PLANE CLRING CUSTOMS; THE PIC NOW ORDERS ME TO CALL MAINT CTL AND ADVISE THEM OF THE DAMAGE. I CALL IN THE INCIDENT; TALK TO OPS; MAINT CTL AND A VERY MAD PLT MGR FOR NOT CALLING PRIOR TO OUR DEP IN NASSAU. I SAID THAT THE PIC 'DECLARED THE DOOR SAFE.' I MAKE A FULL WRITTEN RPT; FAX IT IN AND CONFIRM THAT OPS HAD IT AND COULD READ IT.

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.