Tail cone of MD80 is damaged by unknown object.

Attributes
ACN	727026
Time
Date	200702
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord.airport
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	727026
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

After gate arrival in ord I was met by a mechanic who had just parked an aircraft on the adjacent gate and noticed our tail cone damage. He made an effort to come over to advise me of such. I then went outside to inspect the area and was met by several other mechanics and ramp supervisors taking pictures. Our tail cone had been struck by what had to be a tall vehicle. It looked to me to be a glancing blow by the shape of the damage. There were no gouges; paint marks or punctures; just a big dent. Aircraft OTS; changed equipment and departed. This aircraft had over-nighted in tpa and I flew its first daily flight. Deicing was not required that day. My first officer said he did not notice this dent or anything unusual or out of the ordinary that morning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TAIL CONE OF MD80 IS DAMAGED BY UNKNOWN OBJECT.

Narrative: AFTER GATE ARR IN ORD I WAS MET BY A MECH WHO HAD JUST PARKED AN ACFT ON THE ADJACENT GATE AND NOTICED OUR TAIL CONE DAMAGE. HE MADE AN EFFORT TO COME OVER TO ADVISE ME OF SUCH. I THEN WENT OUTSIDE TO INSPECT THE AREA AND WAS MET BY SEVERAL OTHER MECHS AND RAMP SUPVRS TAKING PICTURES. OUR TAIL CONE HAD BEEN STRUCK BY WHAT HAD TO BE A TALL VEHICLE. IT LOOKED TO ME TO BE A GLANCING BLOW BY THE SHAPE OF THE DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO GOUGES; PAINT MARKS OR PUNCTURES; JUST A BIG DENT. ACFT OTS; CHANGED EQUIP AND DEPARTED. THIS ACFT HAD OVER-NIGHTED IN TPA AND I FLEW ITS FIRST DAILY FLT. DEICING WAS NOT REQUIRED THAT DAY. MY FO SAID HE DID NOT NOTICE THIS DENT OR ANYTHING UNUSUAL OR OUT OF THE ORDINARY THAT MORNING.

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.