stefan
03-26-2008, 01:17 AM
Pilot suspended after firing gun in cockpit
From Mike M. Ahlers
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A US Airways pilot who accidentally discharged his handgun in the cockpit during a flight has been suspended from the federal program that permits pilots to carry firearms and has been removed from flight duty pending the outcome of an investigation, the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday.
The mid-air incident, which occurred at 8,000 feet as the plane approached Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, was the first in the history of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which has trained thousands of pilots to carry weapons to increase aviation safety.
TSA declined to give details about how the gun discharged, but the agency is investigating whether the pilot was handling the gun as directed in policies.
The bullet from the H&K USP .40-caliber gun penetrated the left side of the fuselage but did not hit any crucial wiring or instrumentation, TSA said.
Greg Alter, a spokesman for the Federal Air Marshal Service that oversees the program, said a number of studies have made clear that damage from the gun's rounds "would in no way threaten the integrity of the aircraft."
Alter said the pilot, who, like all FFDOs, volunteered for the program, "is on what otherwise would be described as 'administrative leave'" pending the investigation.
No one was injured during the flight, which originated in Denver, Colorado. US Airways said in a statement that it removed the aircraft from service and is cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.
The airline said the pilot was "offline" pending the investigation results.
From Mike M. Ahlers
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A US Airways pilot who accidentally discharged his handgun in the cockpit during a flight has been suspended from the federal program that permits pilots to carry firearms and has been removed from flight duty pending the outcome of an investigation, the Transportation Security Administration said Tuesday.
The mid-air incident, which occurred at 8,000 feet as the plane approached Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, was the first in the history of the Federal Flight Deck Officer program, which has trained thousands of pilots to carry weapons to increase aviation safety.
TSA declined to give details about how the gun discharged, but the agency is investigating whether the pilot was handling the gun as directed in policies.
The bullet from the H&K USP .40-caliber gun penetrated the left side of the fuselage but did not hit any crucial wiring or instrumentation, TSA said.
Greg Alter, a spokesman for the Federal Air Marshal Service that oversees the program, said a number of studies have made clear that damage from the gun's rounds "would in no way threaten the integrity of the aircraft."
Alter said the pilot, who, like all FFDOs, volunteered for the program, "is on what otherwise would be described as 'administrative leave'" pending the investigation.
No one was injured during the flight, which originated in Denver, Colorado. US Airways said in a statement that it removed the aircraft from service and is cooperating with authorities investigating the incident.
The airline said the pilot was "offline" pending the investigation results.