Narrative:

While parked at ZZZZ a belt loader impacted antenna #3; which is located just below the aft cargo door. The antenna was broken off 4 inches below the base. It was apparent that only the antenna and not the aircraft fuselage had been hit. There was no damage or rippling of the skin; and the base of the antenna was securely intact. Maintenance control was contacted and photos were sent via email. They said that since the fuselage and antenna base were not damaged the aircraft could be dispatched with minor repairs. They were repeatedly queried as to their authority/authorized in this matter and replied that they had full authority/authorized. An attempt was made unsuccessfully to contact the chief pilot twice but I did not try any other chiefs on duty. Following maintenance control's insistence that they had the authority/authorized; the local contract mechanic removed the broken dangling piece; secured the wires and speed taped the entire base and declared the aircraft ready for departure. After checking the MEL and subsequent work plus conferring with my first officer we accepted the aircraft and flew to ZZZ without any problems. Upon discussion the following day with the chief pilot it was learned that maintenance control does not have the authority/authorized in matters that are not covered by the MEL and cdl; which this could fall into. We now understand that in matters such as this; every effort should be made to contact a chief pilot for consultation and the aircraft should not be flown until then. Further; that maintenance control does not have the authority/authorized in these situations. We request that all flight crews be made aware of this fact and that those involved at maintenance control be appropriately counseled.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BELT LOADER KNOCKED OFF THE #3 ANTENNA NEAR THE AFT CARGO DOOR. MAINT ILLEGALLY AUTHORIZED THE ACFT TO BE FLOWN WITH AN ITEM NOT COVERED BY MEL/CDL.

Narrative: WHILE PARKED AT ZZZZ A BELT LOADER IMPACTED ANTENNA #3; WHICH IS LOCATED JUST BELOW THE AFT CARGO DOOR. THE ANTENNA WAS BROKEN OFF 4 INCHES BELOW THE BASE. IT WAS APPARENT THAT ONLY THE ANTENNA AND NOT THE ACFT FUSELAGE HAD BEEN HIT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE OR RIPPLING OF THE SKIN; AND THE BASE OF THE ANTENNA WAS SECURELY INTACT. MAINT CTL WAS CONTACTED AND PHOTOS WERE SENT VIA EMAIL. THEY SAID THAT SINCE THE FUSELAGE AND ANTENNA BASE WERE NOT DAMAGED THE ACFT COULD BE DISPATCHED WITH MINOR REPAIRS. THEY WERE REPEATEDLY QUERIED AS TO THEIR AUTH IN THIS MATTER AND REPLIED THAT THEY HAD FULL AUTH. AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE UNSUCCESSFULLY TO CONTACT THE CHIEF PLT TWICE BUT I DID NOT TRY ANY OTHER CHIEFS ON DUTY. FOLLOWING MAINT CTL'S INSISTENCE THAT THEY HAD THE AUTH; THE LCL CONTRACT MECH REMOVED THE BROKEN DANGLING PIECE; SECURED THE WIRES AND SPD TAPED THE ENTIRE BASE AND DECLARED THE ACFT READY FOR DEP. AFTER CHKING THE MEL AND SUBSEQUENT WORK PLUS CONFERRING WITH MY FO WE ACCEPTED THE ACFT AND FLEW TO ZZZ WITHOUT ANY PROBS. UPON DISCUSSION THE FOLLOWING DAY WITH THE CHIEF PLT IT WAS LEARNED THAT MAINT CTL DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTH IN MATTERS THAT ARE NOT COVERED BY THE MEL AND CDL; WHICH THIS COULD FALL INTO. WE NOW UNDERSTAND THAT IN MATTERS SUCH AS THIS; EVERY EFFORT SHOULD BE MADE TO CONTACT A CHIEF PLT FOR CONSULTATION AND THE ACFT SHOULD NOT BE FLOWN UNTIL THEN. FURTHER; THAT MAINT CTL DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTH IN THESE SITUATIONS. WE REQUEST THAT ALL FLT CREWS BE MADE AWARE OF THIS FACT AND THAT THOSE INVOLVED AT MAINT CTL BE APPROPRIATELY COUNSELED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.