On the ramp with the engine running; an R44 pilot left the controls unattended to assist a passenger...

Attributes
ACN	1000829
Time
Date	201203
Local Time Of Day	0601-1200
Place
Locale Reference	ZZZ.Airport
State Reference	US
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Robinson R44
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Parked
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Pilot Flying Single Pilot
Qualification	Flight Crew Private
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50 Flight Crew Total 3000 Flight Crew Type 1000
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

I was operating an R44 and was picking up two friends for a trip. There was a rain storm just south of the airport at this time and I was in a hurry to depart with my two friends to avoid the rain storm. My friends went to get in and could not get their luggage under the seat. I locked the controls and helped get the baggage in and left. I understand that it was wrong to leave the controls while the helicopter was running and it was pilot error to do so. It won't happen again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: On the ramp with the engine running; an R44 pilot left the controls unattended to assist a passenger in stowing luggage.

Narrative: I was operating an R44 and was picking up two friends for a trip. There was a rain storm just south of the airport at this time and I was in a hurry to depart with my two friends to avoid the rain storm. My friends went to get in and could not get their luggage under the seat. I locked the controls and helped get the baggage in and left. I understand that it was wrong to leave the controls while the helicopter was running and it was pilot error to do so. It won't happen again.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.