ACFT WITH SKIN DAMAGE IS FLOWN WITHOUT PROPER MAINTENANCE INSPECTION.

Narrative

AT THE FIRST LNDG OF A 2 LEG TRIP; THE ACFT WAS HIT BY A BAGGAGE CART AS IT WAS BEING PULLED UP TO THE ACFT. IT WAS HIT SEVERAL TIMES AS THE CART BOUNCED OFF THE STRINGERS. THERE WAS NO MECH ON DUTY SO RAMP CALLED ONE AT HOME. HE SAID THE ACFT WOULD BE OK IF THE SKIN WAS NOT PUNCTURED. RAMP THEN LOOKED AT ACFT AND THEN NOTIFIED ME; AT THIS POINT; THAT THE SKIN HAD NOT BEEN PUNCTURED. I DECIDED TO LOOK MYSELF. THE LIGHT WAS POOR AND IT WAS POURING RAIN AT THE TIME. IT APPEARED TO ME THAT THE SKIN WAS NOT PUNCTURED; BUT WAS DENTED BADLY--BUT NO WORSE THAN I HAD SEEN BEFORE. SINCE THERE APPEARED TO BE NO PUNCTURES AND THERE WAS NO MECH TO SIGN THE MAINT LOG OFF; I DECIDED NOT TO WRITE IT UP UNTIL RETURNING TO BASE--WE WERE ALREADY LATE. THE RETURN TRIP WAS NORMAL. ON ARR I REQUESTED MAINT TO INSPECT ACFT. THEY DID FIND 1 SMALL CRACK WHICH IN SUNLIGHT AND DRY SKIN WAS VISIBLE. THE ACFT WAS REMOVED FROM SVC FOR REPAIR. IN RETROSPECT THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN UP AND LEFT ON THE GND AS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SAID THAT THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AT HILO AND THAT HE HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER ABOUT IT FROM ANYONE.