GROUND EMPLOYEE LOSES HAT IN THE PACK DUCT; FLT CREW TAKES ACFT AFTER SUBSEQUENT CURSORY INSPECTION AND LATER DECIDES MAINTENANCE ACTION IS REQUIRED. MAINTENANCE DISCOVERS HAT INTACT AFTER INSPECTION.

Narrative

I WAS IN THE JETWAY DURING THE LAST PART OF THE BOARDING LESS THAN 10 MINS UNTIL SCHEDULED PUSH. ABOUT TO CALL DISPATCH ON A WX UPDATE FOR OUR DEST WHEN I WAS APCHED BY A MECH AND TOLD THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO TURN OFF THE PACKS TO LOOK AROUND AND FEEL IN THE DEFLECTION SCREEN TRAPS FOR A RAMP AGENT'S HAT THAT WAS KNOCKED OFF AND POSSIBLY GOT SUCKED INTO THE DUCTS. I SAID DON'T WANT TO GET CHEWED UP BY THE IMPELLERS; AND HE SAID NOT TO WORRY ABOUT THAT AND I'VE ALREADY LOOKED AND YOUR DUCTS ARE CLR. ALL I WANT TO DO IS FEEL AROUND TO SEE IF THE HAT IS IN THE SCREENS. IF I DO NOT SEE OR FIND IT; YOU ARE GOOD TO GO; YOUR DUCTS ARE CLR. I'LL SIGNAL YOU FROM THE WINDOW CLEANING STAND. I SAID; SHOULD I WRITE IT UP? HE SAID IF I STILL DON'T SEE IT AND/OR WE DON'T HAVE TO WORK TO GET IT AND YOU HAVE NORMAL INDICATIONS; YOU ARE GOOD TO GO. I GOT MY WX BRIEF AND RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT. I SAW THE MECH HDG TO THE R PACK WITH LONG PLIERS. WE DID OUR PREFLT AND THE MECH APPEARED ON THE STAND AND SIGNALED OK; AND GAVE ME 2 THUMBS UP. WE PUT THE PACKS ON LINE AND ALL WAS NORMAL. WE PUSHED BACK AND STARTED BOTH ENGS. I REALIZED JUST BEFORE WE DISCONNECTED FROM THE TUG THAT THE DRIVER WAS THE SAME MECH. I SAID TO HIM; DID YOU FIND THE HAT? HE SAID NO BUT IT'S OK; YOUR DUCTS ARE CLR; YOU ARE GOOD TO GO. WE UNHOOKED AND TAXIED TO RWY 13R FOR AN INTXN TKOF. MY FO AND I DISCUSSED THE MISSING HAT ON THE WAY OUT. I MADE THE DECISION TO TAKE OFF BASED ON THE FACT THAT THE MECH TOLD ME THE DUCTS WERE CLR 3 TIMES AFTER LOOKING INTO THE DUCTS 2 SEPARATE TIMES. AS FAR AS I KNEW; THE HAT COULD HAVE BLOWN DOWN THE RAMP. I HAVE DEVELOPED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TRUST IN OUR MECH'S OPINIONS OR I COULD NOT TAKE OUT ONE OF OUR COMPANY JETS. WE TOOK AND FLEW AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP; PACKS OPERATED NORMALLY; AS THEY HAD UP TO AND INCLUDING THIS POINT. ON THE WAY THERE WE CALLED MAINT TO MEET US AND OIL US UP AND ALSO COME TO THE COCKPIT. MAINT MET US. I TOLD THE MAINT MAN THAT I WANTED A SECOND OPINION AND PROCEEDED TO TELL HIM THE ABOVE STORY. I STATED THAT I WASN'T AN A&P; AND THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THE PROC FOR FOD IN A PACK DUCT; BUT DOES IT ENTAIL JUST A VISUAL INSPECTION AND IF NOTHING IS SEEN ARE YOU GOOD TO GO? HE REPLIED THAT'S HOW WE START; BUT TO COMPLETE AN INSPECTION OF THE DEFLECTION SCREEN TRAPS; YOU HAVE TO OPEN THE PACK DOORS AND TAKE OFF THE PANELS. WITH THAT STATEMENT; I SAID WHEN WE LEFT DAL THAT HAT WAS NOT FOUND AND I WOULD LIKE THE COMPLETE INSPECTION JOB DONE. I ASKED THE OTHER MECH FOR THE LOGBOOK THAT HE WAS FILLING OUT FOR THE ADDED OIL AND HE SAID I'LL LOG THE SQUAWK AND FILL OUT THE RESULTS OF THE INSPECTION. THE MECHS RETURNED IN ABOUT 15 MINS WITH THE MISSING HAT INTACT FROM THE SCREENS. THE DUCT FOD SAFETY DEFLECTORS DID THEIR JOB. THE FINDINGS WERE RECORDED IN THE LOGBOOK. WE PROCEEDED TO OUR NEXT STORMY CITY. ON MY PART; I AM NOT AN A&P; I'M NOT VERSED IN ALL THE INSPECTION PROTOCOL; AND I DO HAVE A LEVEL OF TRUST IN OUR MECHS; BUT IF I HAVE DOUBT; I FEEL COORD WITH MAINT CTL IS WARRANTED FOR THAT SECOND OPINION. LIKE REAGAN SAID; TRUST BUT VERIFY. SECONDLY I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT NO HATS OR LOOSE CLOTHING BE WORN AROUND THE ACFT THAT COULD BE SUCKED INTO THE ENGS; PACK DUCTS; OR APU INLETS BY GND CREWS OR DURING PREFLT INSPECTIONS.