A B767 crew, after parking at the gate in den, exited the aircraft leaving the left engine running.

Attributes
ACN	543557
Time
Date	200204
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	543557
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 5
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We arrived at gate in den. Set parking brake, shut down right engine, and turned off seatbelt sign. APU off, we waited for external power and jetway to arrive. Our jump seater stood up to say good-bye and unlock cockpit door. When she did, flight attendant was there to ask us to get gate information for her next flight. While first officer did that, I reached up and did the overhead panel parking flow, and with no external power, I packed my charts and ear piece. Next, I had a short discussion on the use of engine reverse on landing with first officer. He then did logbook. I was turned in seat, and stood up to leave. First officer went to lavatory. I picked up my bags to leave. At that time I became aware of engine noise and returned to my seat and shut down left engine. First officer returned and we did parking checklist. I believe a combination of events caused this: a talkative jump seat passenger, flight attendant asking for information were distracting the habit of starting APU on arrival and shutting down both engines immediately, and a restless short night left us not at our best level of performance. Fortunately, ramp personnel followed SOP and did not approach that side of aircraft, averting more serious consequences.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767 CREW, AFTER PARKING AT THE GATE IN DEN, EXITED THE ACFT LEAVING THE L ENG RUNNING.

Narrative: WE ARRIVED AT GATE IN DEN. SET PARKING BRAKE, SHUT DOWN R ENG, AND TURNED OFF SEATBELT SIGN. APU OFF, WE WAITED FOR EXTERNAL PWR AND JETWAY TO ARRIVE. OUR JUMP SEATER STOOD UP TO SAY GOOD-BYE AND UNLOCK COCKPIT DOOR. WHEN SHE DID, FLT ATTENDANT WAS THERE TO ASK US TO GET GATE INFO FOR HER NEXT FLT. WHILE FO DID THAT, I REACHED UP AND DID THE OVERHEAD PANEL PARKING FLOW, AND WITH NO EXTERNAL PWR, I PACKED MY CHARTS AND EAR PIECE. NEXT, I HAD A SHORT DISCUSSION ON THE USE OF ENG REVERSE ON LNDG WITH FO. HE THEN DID LOGBOOK. I WAS TURNED IN SEAT, AND STOOD UP TO LEAVE. FO WENT TO LAVATORY. I PICKED UP MY BAGS TO LEAVE. AT THAT TIME I BECAME AWARE OF ENG NOISE AND RETURNED TO MY SEAT AND SHUT DOWN L ENG. FO RETURNED AND WE DID PARKING CHKLIST. I BELIEVE A COMBINATION OF EVENTS CAUSED THIS: A TALKATIVE JUMP SEAT PAX, FLT ATTENDANT ASKING FOR INFO WERE DISTRACTING THE HABIT OF STARTING APU ON ARR AND SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGS IMMEDIATELY, AND A RESTLESS SHORT NIGHT LEFT US NOT AT OUR BEST LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE. FORTUNATELY, RAMP PERSONNEL FOLLOWED SOP AND DID NOT APCH THAT SIDE OF ACFT, AVERTING MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.

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.