Narrative:

I was flying a turbo charged cessna 206 (TU206G). While stopped at deer valley, I left the engine idling at about 700-800 RPM. I set and checked the parking brake. After verifying the engine RPM and rechking the parking brake, I exited the aircraft, ran around the tail section to the cargo door. While unloading the 'deer valley' cargo, a person questioned my decision to leave the engine running while offloading cargo. The person questioning my decision pulled in front of the airplane, expressed his disapproval while I closed and locked the cargo door. After securing the cargo door, I ran around the tail to the pilot door. The person then drove to the side of the airplane I was on where he again expressed his opinion. I said 'ok' and climbed into the pilot's seat. He again expressed his opinion. I said 'I hear you.' then I called ground control and requested taxi clearance. Due to a tight time sequence, I elected not to wait for the 3 min turbo cool down period and determined that I could safely leave the 'cockpit' with the engine running. The time I was away from the controls amounted to about 1 min and 30 seconds. I don't feel that this particular circumstance was unsafe. I have since learned that this procedure is not encouraged by the FAA or my employer. In the future, I will refrain from such activities.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA FREIGHTER PLT LEFT HIS ENG RUNNING WITHOUT TIEDOWNS OR CHOCKS WHILE HE UNLOADED THE ACFT. HE WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE ACFT, A C206G.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING A TURBO CHARGED CESSNA 206 (TU206G). WHILE STOPPED AT DEER VALLEY, I LEFT THE ENGINE IDLING AT ABOUT 700-800 RPM. I SET AND CHKED THE PARKING BRAKE. AFTER VERIFYING THE ENG RPM AND RECHKING THE PARKING BRAKE, I EXITED THE ACFT, RAN AROUND THE TAIL SECTION TO THE CARGO DOOR. WHILE UNLOADING THE 'DEER VALLEY' CARGO, A PERSON QUESTIONED MY DECISION TO LEAVE THE ENG RUNNING WHILE OFFLOADING CARGO. THE PERSON QUESTIONING MY DECISION PULLED IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE, EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPROVAL WHILE I CLOSED AND LOCKED THE CARGO DOOR. AFTER SECURING THE CARGO DOOR, I RAN AROUND THE TAIL TO THE PLT DOOR. THE PERSON THEN DROVE TO THE SIDE OF THE AIRPLANE I WAS ON WHERE HE AGAIN EXPRESSED HIS OPINION. I SAID 'OK' AND CLBED INTO THE PLT'S SEAT. HE AGAIN EXPRESSED HIS OPINION. I SAID 'I HEAR YOU.' THEN I CALLED GND CTL AND REQUESTED TAXI CLRNC. DUE TO A TIGHT TIME SEQUENCE, I ELECTED NOT TO WAIT FOR THE 3 MIN TURBO COOL DOWN PERIOD AND DETERMINED THAT I COULD SAFELY LEAVE THE 'COCKPIT' WITH THE ENG RUNNING. THE TIME I WAS AWAY FROM THE CTLS AMOUNTED TO ABOUT 1 MIN AND 30 SECONDS. I DON'T FEEL THAT THIS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE WAS UNSAFE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THIS PROC IS NOT ENCOURAGED BY THE FAA OR MY EMPLOYER. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL REFRAIN FROM SUCH ACTIVITIES.

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.