ACFT DAMAGED WHEN AFT STAIRS ARE LEFT DOWN DURING RAMP OP PUSHBACK.

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DURING PUSHBACK; REAR AIRSTAIRS REMAINED DOWN. SLIGHT DAMAGE TO AIRSTAIR AREA. NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE THE FLT WAS LATE. THE SO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RAISING THE AIRSTAIRS PRIOR TO DEP. SO WAS INVOLVED IN COMPUTING THE WT AND BAL AND FAILED TO OBSERVE THE WARNING LIGHT ON HIS ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. THE CAPT IS REQUIRED TO CONFIRM STAIRS RETRACTED; BUT COULD NOT SEE THE PANEL BECAUSE OF THE PHYSICAL POS HE WAS IN TO COMPLETE WT AND BAL. THE PUSHBACK CREW CONSISTED OF 2 WING OBSERVERS PLUS AN INDIVIDUAL IN THE TUG. ALL FAILED TO OBSERVE THE REAR STAIRS AND DAMAGE RESULTED. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT ALL CREW MEMBERS SHOULD BE FREE OF ANY ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES WHILE THE ACFT IS MOVING. DISTR IN THE COCKPIT; PLUS A DESIRE TO OPERATE ON SCHEDULE; CONTRIBUTE TO MULTIPLE DISTRS; RESULTING IN MINOR DAMAGE. A RISK EXISTS FOR A MORE SEVERE SIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 264684: ALL CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED DOWN TO THE LINE. WE WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE AND THERE WERE SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS GOING ON FROM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE ACFT. I WAS ATTENDING TO REQUIRED PAPERWORK. IN RESPONSE TO CHKLIST CALLED BY FO; I HEARD THE CAPT SAY DOOR LIGHTS OUT. I FELT THE ACFT MOVE AND HEARD A LOUD NOISE. UPON INSPECTION; THE CREW FOUND THE AFT AIRSTAIR DOWN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 265064: SO IS RESPONSIBLE TO INFORM FLT ATTENDANTS TO RAISE AIRSTAIR. THIS IS A CHKLIST ITEM NORMALLY DEFERRED UNTIL PUSHBACK. BACKUP FOR THIS ITEM IS ANOTHER CHKLIST ITEM WHICH REQUIRES THE SO TO CHK A WARNING LIGHT. ALSO; THE TRACTOR DRIVER IS REQUIRED TO CHK WITH WINGWALKERS. FACT: NO ONE NOTICED THE LIGHT; EVEN THOUGH AT LEAST THE CAPT LOOKED FOR IT. IT MAY HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED. THE TRACTOR DRIVER DID NOT LOOK AT THE WINGWALKERS; WHO APPARENTLY USE THE STAIR MOVEMENT AS A 'READY TO PUSH' SIGNAL. THESE ARE RECENTLY HIRED 'CONTRACT' WORKERS; NOT HIRED BY THE AIRLINE; BUT A CONTRACTOR. COCKPIT HAS TOO MUCH TO WORRY ABOUT AT PUSHBACK: PAPERS; PEOPLE; AGENTS; DRIVERS; TWR; AND CHKLISTS. SIMPLIFY BY REMOVING NON-ESSENTIAL ITEMS. INSURE THAT CREWS ARE CONCERNED WITH ACFT FUNCTIONS; NOT AIRLINE FUNCTIONS; I.E.; ON-TIME; BAGGAGE; PAX PROBS. PAY CUTS; INCREASED DUTIES; AND OTHER JOB PRESSURES LEAD TO OVER-CONCERN WITH NON-FLYING FUNCTIONS.