Pilot's gun discharges during US Airways flight

[demonseed]

CHARLOTTE, N.C.-- A gun carried by a US Airways pilot accidentally discharged during a flight from Denver to Charlotte Saturday, according to a statement released by the airline.

The statement said the discharge happened on Flight 1536, which left Denver at approximately 6:45 a.m. and arrived in Charlotte at approximately 11:51 a.m.

The Airbus A319 plane landed safely and none of the flight’s 124 passengers or five crew members was injured, according to the statement. It was a full flight. An airline spokeswoman said the plane has been taken out of service to make sure it is safe to return to flight.

A Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman reached by WCNC Sunday said the pilot is part of TSA’s Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program, which trains pilots to carry guns on flights. Andrea McCauley said the gun discharged in the cockpit, but she could not release how the gun was being transported at the time. She did not release the pilot’s name, but said he was authorized to carry the weapon and was last requalified in the FFDO program last November.

A statement from TSA said the airplane was never in danger, and the TSA and the Federal Air Marshals Service are investigating the incident.

[NortonsHeiny]

Ummm last I checked guns dont "accidently" discharge unless the pilots finger was accidently on the trigger and he was accidently squeezing the trigger and the firing pin accidently caused a bullet to be fired....

[Sinn Fein]

My money says it was a Glock and he was an ignorant ass who didn't understand how the Glock safety system works.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

The pilot passed the Federal Flight Officer Course, approved and taught by the Feral Air Marshall's themselves.

Probably mis-handled it as he was taking out of his Feral Air Marshall approved container.

After all, we need everything to be approved before use by the Feral Government, right? "whaa"

[demonseed]

My money says it was a Glock and he was an ignorant ass who didn't understand how the Glock safety system works.


Actually, it was a Heckler and Koch universal self-loading 40-caliber pistol.

[BCH]

Was that training course taught by this guy?

YSbOMzzXamY

[WoodenPlank]

Actually, it was a Heckler and Koch universal self-loading 40-caliber pistol.

If thats the case, it may have been a variant 3 or 4, which have no manual safety on them, or the numbnuts had the safety off. Im all for pilots carrying on an airplane, but they need to be a little more careful of shit like this. if they let him carry it like a normal human being (in a concealed holster), and not in an "air marshall approved container" maybe this wouldnt have happened.

[Deadbent]

Bch, I waited and waited for that.


Ahh. Fun fun. :D

[TrybalRage]

If thats the case, it may have been a variant 3 or 4, which have no manual safety on them, or the numbnuts had the safety off. Im all for pilots carrying on an airplane, but they need to be a little more careful of shit like this. if they let him carry it like a normal human being (in a concealed holster), and not in an "air marshall approved container" maybe this wouldnt have happened.

Seriously. The more you fiddle around with it, the more chance of fucking up.

[Three Hole Puncher]

Was that training course taught by this guy?


Classic...

funny on every possible level.

[THE FEZ MAN]

Seriously. The more you fiddle around with it, the more chance of fucking up.

yep. if the weapon is in a proper holster it wont go off, as for the glock thing, ummmmm you really have to try and make a glock go off, like ummmm pull the trigger. :icon_roll

it was just a matter of time before this happened, do anything long enough and your going to fuck up. i dont care if its driving a car or brushing your teeth, i will have to say that i dont really agree with only the pilot being armed, i would rather it be the chief steward

[Voss's Tumor]

But the pilot's the only one on a plane "smart" enough to know how to use a gun, dude!

[BIV]

After all, we need everything to be approved before use by the Feral Government, right? "whaa"

While I think you should be able to take a gun anywhere, when one bullet can kill everyone on a plane I think a few restrictions are in order.

BTW, this pilot is an ass and I'm all for pilots having guns.

[MrBogey]

Supposedly FAA rules require a a holster with a combination lock. This pilot was trying to unlock it when he snagged the trigger on the holster.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

While I think you should be able to take a gun anywhere, when one bullet can kill everyone on a plane I think a few restrictions are in order.




Please explain logically, how one bullet (most likely a frangible) is going to take down a plane? "whaa"

[Sam_Adams]

While I think you should be able to take a gun anywhere, when one bullet can kill everyone on a plane I think a few restrictions are in order.

BTW, this pilot is an ass and I'm all for pilots having guns.

That movie magic has been disproven for many years. The pressure differences aren't great enough to rip open a plane.

The hole has to be much larger and even then they can land the plane most of the time without anyone injured. There have been incidents where sections of like 10ft had been ripped off and they landed the plane with only those sitting directly in the damaged part dying.

[BIV]

I was actually thinking more of the bullet going into the control mechanisms in the cockpit.

[Hey_Asshole]

Ummm last I checked guns dont "accidently" discharge unless the pilots finger was accidently on the trigger and he was accidently squeezing the trigger and the firing pin accidently caused a bullet to be fired....

Took the words right out of my mouth...or in this case, the type right off of my fingers.

[THE FEZ MAN]

I was actually thinking more of the bullet going into the control mechanisms in the cockpit.


there's a lot of redundant systems in a commercial airliner

[d0uche_n0zzle]

there's a lot of redundant systems in a commercial airliner

Yep, just like on the Space Shuttle, redundancy is always important when you're flying.

[THE FEZ MAN]

Yep, just like on the Space Shuttle, redundancy is always important when you're flying.
well if it was a piece of foam i would have been worried, but a frangeable bullet fired from a hand gun, na:action-sm

[DonTheTrucker]

Yep, just like on the Space Shuttle, redundancy is always important when you're flying.

Too bad there isn't any redundancy in the O-rings or heat shield tiles.

[d0uche_n0zzle]

They had the power of prayer when all else failed. :action-sm

[stevethrower]

***Follow Up***

Faulty rules blamed for gun's firing

By Audrey Hudson
March 28, 2008

Inadequate handgun rules designed by Department of Homeland Security officials are to blame for last weekend's accidental discharge of a pistol by a commercial pilot during landing preparations, a pilots association said yesterday.

"The pilot has to take his gun off and lock it up before he leaves the cockpit, so he was trying to secure the gun in preparation for landing, while he was trying to fly the airplane, too," said David Mackett, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance. "In the process of doing that, the padlock that is required to be inserted into the holster pulled the trigger and caused the gun to discharge."

The unnamed US Airways pilot, who was landing at Charlotte/Douglas (N.C.) International Airport, has been placed on leave by the airline since the incident.

This was the first report of a pilot's gun being discharged on a plane.

APSA, an organization of pilots who lobby Congress on aviation security issues, said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has refused to adopt standard carriage rules recommended last year by the Federal Air Marshal Service.

"We complained to DHS two years ago that this was an unsafe rule," Mr. Mackett said.

Rather than carry the weapon on their person at all times, pilots must lock it up before opening the cockpit door, meaning pilots handle the gun as many as 10 times per flight, the association estimates.

Pilots who have completed training to become federal flight deck officers (FFDOs) and carry weapons must use a holster used primarily as a home child-safety lock. A padlock is inserted through the holster and trigger guard, but, if inserted backward, it can trigger the gun, pilots say.

Link (http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080328/NATION/927995814/1002)

Ummm how about one of these instead of a padlock?

http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/178660_lg.jpg

Or keep the firearm in condition 3 (http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/firingline/conditionthree.htm) perhaps...

[d0uche_n0zzle]

How about just let them carry it in a holster, much like they did in the sixty's when carrying US Mail.

[weakside]

As a nervous flyer, if I heard a gun shot from the cockpit of my plane I do believe I would shit myself.

[THE FEZ MAN]

that is a rule that was written buy someone who has never handled a weapon. and is a complete fucking asshole