B737-700 flight crew has hail damage while parked at the gate at cmh.

Attributes
ACN	712609
Time
Date	200610
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cmh.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm other
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : takeoff roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 219 flight time type : 4500
ASRS Report	712609
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 121
ASRS Report	712596
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

A big nasty thunderstorm dumped hail on aircraft while it was at gate in cmh. I was in the jetway with the captain watching hail bounce off the wing. After the storm passed with dusk light conditions; I did an intensive walkaround expecting the worst. The walkaround showed no visible damage. I inspected the left wing with the captain and operations agent from the top of the jetway stairs. The right wing was inspected from the forward galley door and both wings looked at from the emergency exit. The captain looked at the vertical/horizontal stabilizer from both aft doors. Captain contacted dispatch and they said that provided no damage; press on. Upon arrival; with flashlight; I did a walkaround and saw what appeared to be no damage. I have found out this morning that the aircraft was heavily damaged on top of the wings and rudder. We took proactive action in doing an honest inspection as soon as the storm passed. We put many sets of eyes on the aircraft. What we should have done was had contract maintenance come out with ladders and lights to do an inspection.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 FLT CREW HAS HAIL DAMAGE WHILE PARKED AT THE GATE AT CMH.

Narrative: A BIG NASTY TSTM DUMPED HAIL ON ACFT WHILE IT WAS AT GATE IN CMH. I WAS IN THE JETWAY WITH THE CAPT WATCHING HAIL BOUNCE OFF THE WING. AFTER THE STORM PASSED WITH DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS; I DID AN INTENSIVE WALKAROUND EXPECTING THE WORST. THE WALKAROUND SHOWED NO VISIBLE DAMAGE. I INSPECTED THE L WING WITH THE CAPT AND OPS AGENT FROM THE TOP OF THE JETWAY STAIRS. THE R WING WAS INSPECTED FROM THE FORWARD GALLEY DOOR AND BOTH WINGS LOOKED AT FROM THE EMER EXIT. THE CAPT LOOKED AT THE VERT/HORIZ STAB FROM BOTH AFT DOORS. CAPT CONTACTED DISPATCH AND THEY SAID THAT PROVIDED NO DAMAGE; PRESS ON. UPON ARR; WITH FLASHLIGHT; I DID A WALKAROUND AND SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE NO DAMAGE. I HAVE FOUND OUT THIS MORNING THAT THE ACFT WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED ON TOP OF THE WINGS AND RUDDER. WE TOOK PROACTIVE ACTION IN DOING AN HONEST INSPECTION AS SOON AS THE STORM PASSED. WE PUT MANY SETS OF EYES ON THE ACFT. WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE DONE WAS HAD CONTRACT MAINT COME OUT WITH LADDERS AND LIGHTS TO DO AN 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.