Narrative:

We were taxiing to runway 27 for takeoff when a flight attendant came to the cockpit and reported that a passenger saw an identify badge lying on the cowling of the right engine. We were taxiing using the left engine, the right engine was not running. We taxied back to the terminal area, and maintenance checked and, indeed, found an identify badge belonging to an employee of a company that builds components of our engines. He had been performing some tests or inspections. It seems this type incident could be prevented if all who worked on the airplane (and engines especially) would use a checklist/inventory to ensure that nothing is left on the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX ON AN MLG NOTICED A FOREIGN OBJECT ON TOP OF AN ENG COWLING DURING TAXI OUT RESULTING IN THE CAPT RETURNING TO THE GATE AFTER BEING NOTIFIED. THE OBJECT WAS AN EMPLOYEE IDENT BADGE.

Narrative: WE WERE TAXIING TO RWY 27 FOR TKOF WHEN A FLT ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND RPTED THAT A PAX SAW AN IDENT BADGE LYING ON THE COWLING OF THE R ENG. WE WERE TAXIING USING THE L ENG, THE R ENG WAS NOT RUNNING. WE TAXIED BACK TO THE TERMINAL AREA, AND MAINT CHKED AND, INDEED, FOUND AN IDENT BADGE BELONGING TO AN EMPLOYEE OF A COMPANY THAT BUILDS COMPONENTS OF OUR ENGS. HE HAD BEEN PERFORMING SOME TESTS OR INSPECTIONS. IT SEEMS THIS TYPE INCIDENT COULD BE PREVENTED IF ALL WHO WORKED ON THE AIRPLANE (AND ENGS ESPECIALLY) WOULD USE A CHKLIST/INVENTORY TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING IS LEFT ON THE AIRPLANE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.