Narrative:

After landing at the bhm airport the aircraft was taxied to the gate and the after landing checklist was accomplished. After parking at the gate the parking checklist was performed. The right engine was shut down. The left engine was kept running while waiting for external power for the aircraft. The captain left his seat to stand in the cockpit doorway to bid the passengers farewell. External power was established and the parking checklist was completed with the exception of shutting down the left engine. The first officer thought that the left engine was shutdown and that all parking checklists were completed. 3 mins after vacating the cockpit the gate agent mentioned that external air and electric were available and that the APU could be shut down. He also mentioned that the APU sounded a little louder than normal. At this time the first officer noticed that the left engine was still running and proceeded to the cockpit to shut it down and complete the parking checklist. Contributing factors. Capts enthusiasm to say goodbye to the passenger thus leaving the cockpit before the entire parking checklist was completed. Corrective actions. The captain should insure that all checklists are completed prior to leaving the cockpit.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW LEFT THE COCKPIT WITHOUT COMPLETING THE BLOCKS CHECKLIST AND WITH THE LEFT ENGINE STILL RUNNING.

Narrative: AFTER LNDG AT THE BHM ARPT THE ACFT WAS TAXIED TO THE GATE AND THE AFTER LNDG CHKLIST WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER PARKING AT THE GATE THE PARKING CHKLIST WAS PERFORMED. THE R ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. THE L ENG WAS KEPT RUNNING WHILE WAITING FOR EXTERNAL PWR FOR THE ACFT. THE CAPT LEFT HIS SEAT TO STAND IN THE COCKPIT DOORWAY TO BID THE PAXS FAREWELL. EXTERNAL PWR WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE PARKING CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SHUTTING DOWN THE L ENG. THE F/O THOUGHT THAT THE L ENG WAS SHUTDOWN AND THAT ALL PARKING CHKLISTS WERE COMPLETED. 3 MINS AFTER VACATING THE COCKPIT THE GATE AGENT MENTIONED THAT EXTERNAL AIR AND ELECTRIC WERE AVAILABLE AND THAT THE APU COULD BE SHUT DOWN. HE ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE APU SOUNDED A LITTLE LOUDER THAN NORMAL. AT THIS TIME THE F/O NOTICED THAT THE L ENG WAS STILL RUNNING AND PROCEEDED TO THE COCKPIT TO SHUT IT DOWN AND COMPLETE THE PARKING CHKLIST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. CAPTS ENTHUSIASM TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE PAX THUS LEAVING THE COCKPIT BEFORE THE ENTIRE PARKING CHKLIST WAS COMPLETED. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. THE CAPT SHOULD INSURE THAT ALL CHKLISTS ARE COMPLETED PRIOR TO LEAVING THE COCKPIT.

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.