Student pilot departed small aircraft while engine was running to chase his hat.

Attributes
ACN	167292
Time
Date	199101
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fll
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 620 flight time type : 83
ASRS Report	167292
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The problem arose as soon as we (students and I, the instrument) taxied to the parking area of the uncontrolled airport. Once the aircraft had stopped and it was in the position for parking, I looked for the checklist so the student could shut down the aircraft, as I always have done at the end of any flight. At the same time as I was looking for the checklist, I was also explaining to the students how our day was going to be broken down (lesson time). While I opened the checklist, the student had opened the door and his hat had blown out, and he was chasing after it. I yelled, 'what are you doing?' I doubt that he heard me. At the same I heard my call sign over the radio repeatedly, but did not hear what they wanted--they were being stepped on by the airport traffic calling their position reports. The third time I heard, 'this is the FAA, shut down, we want to speak to you...' as soon as I heard that, I got more upset--besides my student's dumb act of jumping out of an aircraft with the engine running, the FAA was there to see it. While all this was happening the student in the back, not understanding what was going on, was trying to get out. I shut down quickly and checked the checklists to make sure I did the shutdown correctly.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: STUDENT PLT DEPARTED SMA WHILE ENGINE WAS RUNNING TO CHASE HIS HAT.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE AS SOON AS WE (STUDENTS AND I, THE INSTR) TAXIED TO THE PARKING AREA OF THE UNCONTROLLED ARPT. ONCE THE ACFT HAD STOPPED AND IT WAS IN THE POS FOR PARKING, I LOOKED FOR THE CHKLIST SO THE STUDENT COULD SHUT DOWN THE ACFT, AS I ALWAYS HAVE DONE AT THE END OF ANY FLT. AT THE SAME TIME AS I WAS LOOKING FOR THE CHKLIST, I WAS ALSO EXPLAINING TO THE STUDENTS HOW OUR DAY WAS GOING TO BE BROKEN DOWN (LESSON TIME). WHILE I OPENED THE CHKLIST, THE STUDENT HAD OPENED THE DOOR AND HIS HAT HAD BLOWN OUT, AND HE WAS CHASING AFTER IT. I YELLED, 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?' I DOUBT THAT HE HEARD ME. AT THE SAME I HEARD MY CALL SIGN OVER THE RADIO REPEATEDLY, BUT DID NOT HEAR WHAT THEY WANTED--THEY WERE BEING STEPPED ON BY THE ARPT TFC CALLING THEIR POS RPTS. THE THIRD TIME I HEARD, 'THIS IS THE FAA, SHUT DOWN, WE WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU...' AS SOON AS I HEARD THAT, I GOT MORE UPSET--BESIDES MY STUDENT'S DUMB ACT OF JUMPING OUT OF AN ACFT WITH THE ENG RUNNING, THE FAA WAS THERE TO SEE IT. WHILE ALL THIS WAS HAPPENING THE STUDENT IN THE BACK, NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS GOING ON, WAS TRYING TO GET OUT. I SHUT DOWN QUICKLY AND CHKED THE CHKLISTS TO MAKE SURE I DID THE SHUTDOWN CORRECTLY.

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.