Re: __ Guns on a Plane ! <= whoooops! __

> Pilot's Gun Goes Off On Flight From Denver
> U.S. Airways Pilot Part Of Flight Deck Officer Program
>
> POSTED: 8:33 am MDT March 24, 2008
> UPDATED: 1:53 pm MDT March 24, 2008
>
> DENVER -- Federal authorities are investigating how a pilot's gun 
> accidentally discharged in the cockpit on a US Airways flight from
Denver 
> to Charlotte, N.C.
>
> Airline and federal officials said flight 1536 was not in any danger as
a 
> result of the incident, which occurred about 9:50 a.m. MDT on Saturday. 
> There were 124 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants on
board 
> the flight at the time. No one was injured.
>
> Officials say the unnamed pilot was allowed to carry the weapon as part
of 
> the Trans****tation Security Administration's Federal Flight Deck Officer

> program. It was created after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
>
> The program allows eligible crew members -- including pilots, navigators

> and flight engineers -- to use a firearm to defend against any act of
air 
> piracy or criminal violence after being trained on its use.
>
> "TSA and the Federal Air Marshals Service take this matter seriously and

> an investigation is underway," the TSA said. "The pilot was authorized
to 
> be in possession of the weapon and he completed the appropriate
training."
>
> This pilot, who was sitting in the left seat, last re-qualified on Nov.
7, 
> 2007.
>
> U.S. Airways said it is cooperating with law enforcement authorities 
> investigating the incident.
>
> The Federal Air Marshall service said this is the first time anything
like 
> this has happened. Federal Flight Deck Officers use Heckler and Koch 
> universal self-loading 40-caliber pistols and are allowed to carry these

> weapons ready to use -- like any other law enforcement officer. The 
> Federal Flight Deck Officers need to be re-qualified twice a year.
>
> A federal aviation security source told ABC the discharged round hit the

> side of the Airbus A319 and did not hit any sensitive equipment. The
round 
> likely exited the bulkhead but did not result in depressurization. The 
> incident occurred on final approach.
>
> TSA said passengers were not aware that the weapon was discharged and 
> flight 1536 landed without incident.
>
> The jet has been taken out of service for inspection.
>