A DC10-10; WHILE BEING PUSHED BACK; STRUCK A LOADING DOCK INCURRING DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD L FUSELAGE JUST UNDER THE CAPT'S SIDE WINDOW. VEHICLE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER AROUND AN EXTERNAL AIR CART USED FOR STARTING ENG #3 DUE TO APU INOP; INSTEAD OF REMOVING THE CART FROM THE APRON.

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I WAS OPERATING AS CAPT ON ACR FLT XYZ; SCHEDULED TO OPERATE MEM-PHX THE MORNING OF APR/XA/98. ACFT WAS A DC10-10. APU WAS INOP FOR THIS FLT. ENG #3 WAS STARTED WITHOUT INCIDENT IN BLOCKS. AIR START FROM AUX SOURCE CHKLIST WAS USED AND CREW WAS PREPARING TO USE THE XBLEED START CHKLIST FOR ENGS #1 AND #2. PUSHBACK WAS COMMENCED ON TIME. A FEW SECONDS INTO THE PUSH; THE ACFT CONTACTED THE LOADING DOCK ON THE CAPT'S SIDE. I DID NOT USE THE ACFT BRAKES WHEN I FIRST REALIZED THE CONTACT WITH THE LOADING DOCK; FOR FEAR OF DAMAGE TO NOSE OF ACFT. I DID COMMAND THE TUG DRIVER TO STOP. NO CREW OR JUMP SEATERS WERE INJURED. AN ACFT MAINT LOGBOOK ENTRY WAS MADE. I ALSO REQUESTED THE VOICE RECORDER CIRCUIT BREAKER BE PULLED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399005: THE ONLY UNUSUAL PART OF THE PUSH WAS THAT THE ACFT USED AN EXTERNAL AIR CART FOR STARTING THE #3 ENG. APPARENTLY THE GND CREW DID NOT REMOVE THE CART FROM THE AREA AFTER THE ENG WAS STARTED AT THE GATE BECAUSE THE TUG DRIVER MANEUVERED TO GAIN CLRNC ON THE CART CAUSING THE NOSE OF THE ACFT TO HIT THE DOCK.