MLG FO DOING PREFLT INSPECTION FAILS TO CHK THE EXTERNAL PWR RECEPTACLE DOOR DUE TO HEADSET HANGING ON THE DOOR AND CORD HANGING OUT FROM IT. ON ACFT SWITCH SECOND FLC PREFLT SHOWED DAMAGE T THE SKIN AFT OF THE DOOR.

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DURING MY PREFLT INSPECTION I CAME ACROSS THE EXTERNAL PWR RECEPTACLE DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE GND CREW HAD ALREADY SET UP FOR PUSH BACK. THEIR HEADSET WAS PLUGGED IN WITH THE ELECTRICAL CORD HANGING IN FRONT OF THE RECEPTACLE AND THE HEADSET AND MOUTH PIECE WERE HANGING/RESTING ON TOP OF THE PARTIALLY OPEN DOOR. MY CHKLIST CALLS FOR ME T OPEN THE DOOR; CHK A COM SWITCH AND CLOSE THE DOOR. SINCE THE CREW WA ALREADY SET UP TO PUSH; I LEFT THE DOOR SET UP AS IT WAS; AND DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING ELSE ABNORMAL AT THAT TIME. OUR ORIGINATING FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL FROM ONTARIO TO PHOENIX. UPON ARR WE WERE MET BY ANOTHER CREW FOR AN ACFT SWAP OUT. THE NEW FO NOTICED A SMALL CRACK IN THE SKIN OF THE ACFT JUST AFT OF THE EXTERNAL PWR RECEPTACLE DOOR. (THE DOOR CLOSED AT THIS TIME) THE CREW HAD MAINT CHK IT AND THEY FOUND MORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE PWR RECEPTACLE ITSELF AND THE WIRING BEHIND THE DOOR AND INTO THE FUSELAGE! THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR REPAIRS! HAD I MOVED THE HEADSET AND COMS CORD AND MADE SURE THE DOOR CLOSED AND LATCHED PROPERLY; I MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THE DAMAGE TO THE SKIN AND THE DAMAGE TO THE PWR CORD RECEPTACLE BEFORE OUR FLT AND AVOIDED SOMEONE ELSE DISCOVERING IT FOR US AFTER! AS FOR WHY THE GUYS WHO HANDLED OUR PUSH BACK ON THE TUG AND ON THE HEADSET AND WHY THEY DID NOT INFORM THE CAPT; OR I; OR MAINT EITHER; I DO NOT KNOW. AS FOR ME; FROM NOW ON JUST BECAUSE THINGS APPEAR NORMAL; THAT DOESN'T MEAN THEY ARE! BE VIGILANT; BE THOROUGH; AND DON'T ASSUME OTHERS ARE DOING IT FOR YOU! NEEDLESS TO SAY; THE INCIDENT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION AND THE RESULTS WILL COME OUT. IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE EXTERNAL PWR CART WAS TOWED AWAY WHILE STILL CONNECTED TO THE EXTERNAL PWR RECEPTACLE DAMAGING THE SKIN AND THE INTERNAL COMPONENTS.