I would say it wasn't reckless, provided you did a sensible risk assessment.
Like I did when I was asked to go out and bring home a large piece of an aircraft (inner flap from an almost new Boeing 747) which had fallen off in flight.
I was originally asked to carry it as an underslung load in a net. I assessed this as very dangerous - after all, it was a fairly lightweight piece of aircraft designed to produce lift and it therefore might well fly up and hit the aircraft or even into the rotor once we got under way (just like a complete Harrier wing once tried to do when the RAF tried to undersling one).
It was too big to fit in the cabin lengthwise. I agreed to fit it across the cabin, sticking some distance out of each sliding door, as long as it was tied down facing backwards and upside down. I flew it at slow speed (about 50 kts) and it was fine.
The local (non UK) Civil Aviation Department had no issue with this, in fact they saw it as a job well done. The task request was from them and two of their staff were on board throughout the task.