AN MD80 ACFT IS HIT ON THE FORWARD L LEADING EDGE SLAT AND IS FLOWN ON 2 LEGS BEFORE MAINT NOTES THE DAMAGE THAT HAD BEEN INFLICTED BY A COMMISSARY TRUCK AT LAX; CA.

Narrative

AS CAPT OF FLT XXX ON JAN/XA/02; OUR ACR AIRLINE'S MD80 RECEIVED DAMAGE FROM AN IMPACT WITH A CATERING TRUCK AT LAX GATE XX. THE ACFT WAS PARKED AT THE GATE AND COLLISION OCCURRED AFTER THE FO HAD COMPLETED HIS EXTERIOR PREFLT INSPECTION. WE; AS A CREW; HAD NO RPT OF; OR KNOWLEDGE OF; THE TRUCK HITTING THE ACFT. THE FLT WAS FULL AND WE HAD NO PAX; FLT ATTENDANTS OR ANY GND PERSONNEL RPT THE COLLISION. THE FLT FROM LAX TO CYVR WAS OPERATED NORMALLY AS WAS THE SCHEDULED RETURN FLT YYY CYVR TO LAX. THE DAMAGE HAD NOT BEEN NOTICED ON PREFLT OF AFT AT CYVR; NOR HAD ANY INFO BEEN FORWARDED TO CREW AT VANCOUVER; BC. UPON RETURN OF FLT YYY TO LAX; NO COMPANY PERSONNEL MET THE ACFT ON ARR AND THERE WAS STILL NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS AMISS. UPON MY RETURN TO MY HOME; THE COMPANY MD80 FLT MGR HAD PHONED TO FILL IN WHAT THEY KNEW ABOUT THE INCIDENT. IT WAS ALL NEWS TO ME. APPARENTLY; THE ACFT HAD SUSTAINED SOME DAMAGE TO THE WING'S LEADING EDGE; WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTICED AND GNDED THE ACFT ON FO'S PREFLT INSPECTION AT CYVR. THIS WOULD HAVE PREVENTED ANY FURTHER FLT PRIOR TO MAINT INSPECTIONS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 534172: WE FLEW BACK TO LAX. AT THIS TIME; THE CATERING COMPANY AND THE AIRLINE DISCOVERED THE DENT AND IT WAS REPAIRED. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL DO A MORE CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE WING -- ESPECIALLY IN AND AROUND THE AREAS WHERE THE SVC VEHICLES ARE CLOSE TO THE ACFT.