Narrative:

Aircraft taxied slowly in to gate with inoperative APU. All marshalers in place and alert; safety zones all clear. Aircraft weighed approximately 112 pounds. After aircraft came to stop; the captain immediately shut down the #2 engine; and waited for the ground crew to plug in electrical power. The anti-collision beacon was still on; and the #2 engine was still running. I would estimate that within 5 seconds of the captain shutting down the #2 engine; the forward cargo door was opened. I am concerned that the ground crew walked right in front of the #2 engine with it running. At best; they walked in front of it as or immediately after; it was shut down; and began opening doors with the beacon on. I do not known what the ramp policy is concerning the beacon and opening cargo doors; but I am concerned that if we had delayed shutting down that engine; even for a second or two; someone could have been seriously injured. Preventive measures: I am not familiar with ramp policies. I believe having a policy of shutting the #2 engine down early would not be helpful due to variations in weight; ramp slope; etc. These factors could require using added power on the #1 engine; creating other hazards. Requiring the ramp to wait until the beacon is off before opening doors and approaching the engine area would solve the problem. Normally this would not delay offloading of bags more than a few seconds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW AFTER PARKING AT THE GATE HAS RAMP PERSONNEL APCH THE ACFT AND OPEN CARGO DOORS PRIOR TO ENG SHUTDOWN.

Narrative: ACFT TAXIED SLOWLY IN TO GATE WITH INOP APU. ALL MARSHALERS IN PLACE AND ALERT; SAFETY ZONES ALL CLR. ACFT WEIGHED APPROX 112 LBS. AFTER ACFT CAME TO STOP; THE CAPT IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE #2 ENG; AND WAITED FOR THE GND CREW TO PLUG IN ELECTRICAL PWR. THE ANTI-COLLISION BEACON WAS STILL ON; AND THE #2 ENG WAS STILL RUNNING. I WOULD ESTIMATE THAT WITHIN 5 SECONDS OF THE CAPT SHUTTING DOWN THE #2 ENG; THE FORWARD CARGO DOOR WAS OPENED. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE GND CREW WALKED RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE #2 ENG WITH IT RUNNING. AT BEST; THEY WALKED IN FRONT OF IT AS OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER; IT WAS SHUT DOWN; AND BEGAN OPENING DOORS WITH THE BEACON ON. I DO NOT KNOWN WHAT THE RAMP POLICY IS CONCERNING THE BEACON AND OPENING CARGO DOORS; BUT I AM CONCERNED THAT IF WE HAD DELAYED SHUTTING DOWN THAT ENG; EVEN FOR A SECOND OR TWO; SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. PREVENTIVE MEASURES: I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH RAMP POLICIES. I BELIEVE HAVING A POLICY OF SHUTTING THE #2 ENG DOWN EARLY WOULD NOT BE HELPFUL DUE TO VARIATIONS IN WT; RAMP SLOPE; ETC. THESE FACTORS COULD REQUIRE USING ADDED PWR ON THE #1 ENG; CREATING OTHER HAZARDS. REQUIRING THE RAMP TO WAIT UNTIL THE BEACON IS OFF BEFORE OPENING DOORS AND APCHING THE ENG AREA WOULD SOLVE THE PROB. NORMALLY THIS WOULD NOT DELAY OFFLOADING OF BAGS MORE THAN A FEW SECONDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.