PREFLT OVERSIGHT -- TAIL PIPE PLUGS.

Narrative

DURING PUSHBACK WE WERE CLRED TO START ENGS. DURING A NORMAL START OF THE #1 ENG THE EXHAUST COVER PLUG; WHICH WAS STILL INSTALLED; BLEW OUT ON THE RAMP; BEHIND THE ACFT. CONTRACT MAINT STOPPED THE PUSHBACK; PICKED UP THE EXHAUST PLUG AND REMOVED THE PLUG FROM THE #2 ENG. THE PUSHBACK WAS CONTINUED WITH A NORMAL ENG START ON BOTH ENGS. AT WESTCHESTER COUNTY ARPT ALL GND SVCS ARE SUPPLIED BY CONTRACT FLT SVCS. THIS IS THE ONLY STATION THAT USES ENG PLUGS ON OVERNIGHTS; AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REMOVE THE PLUGS ON THEIR WALK AROUND. THE INTAKE PLUGS WERE REMOVED; BUT THE EXHAUST PLUGS WERE NOT. THE FO'S ARE TRAINED IN ALL PHASES OF PREFLT; AND I HAVE COMPLETE CONFIDENCE IN MY FO. I FEEL THE EXHAUST PLUGS WERE MISSED BY BOTH CONTRACT GND SVCS AND THE FO FOR DIFFERENT REASONS. THE GND SVCS DID HALF OF THE JOB; BY REMOVING THE INTAKE PLUGS; BUT MUST HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED MIDWAY THROUGH THEIR TASK; AND DID NOT REMOVE THEIR EXHAUST PLUGS. THE FO FAILED TO CATCH THE OVERSIGHT DUE TO THE TIGHT; FLUSH FITTING EXHAUST PLUGS; AND THE USE OF ENG PLUGS IS UNUSUAL FOR OUR ACFT TYPE; ONLY OCCURRING AT WESTCHESTER CO ARPT. MY FO ASSURED ME HE WOULD NEVER MISS THIS ITEM AGAIN.