Pilot suspended after firing gun in cockpit

[stefan]

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.

[JP]

Whoops, I still think they need them.

[Mtnman1830]

What was he doing handling his gun mid flight?

[denaliguide]

must have been scratching his ..........bullets.

[RedMan]

Tell me this wasn't predictable?

There is a reason that police officers are required to go to a range on a regular basis and qualify.

It not just so they can be a good shot, its so that they are use to handling the weapon and safety becomes second nature.

The training they make pilots take is a joke.

[sparker1]

At least it serves as a reminder to terrorists that the pilots have guns.

[Sombeech]

We should take the guns away from cops too. Do you know they've misfired a few rounds?

Cops don't need guns.

[R]

People, people, please. If 9-11 taught us nothing else, it's that terrorists are smart - very smart. They played the airline hijack card, so next time it will be something else.

One of the brilliantly evil things about 9-11 was that it was on TV - from their point of view, it was their victory for the whole world to see. The next one will be ever more visible and flamboyant.

[trackrunner]

The next one will be ever more visible and flamboyant.

So it will be gay terrorist?

[Sombeech]

The next one will be ever more visible and flamboyant.

So it will be gay terrorist?

9/11 part 2. This time, they're goin' all the way.

[JP]

At least it serves as a reminder to terrorists that the pilots have guns.

True, true

[R]

The next one will be ever more visible and flamboyant.

So it will be gay terrorist?

Flamboyant, not flaming!

[JP]

What was he doing handling his gun mid flight?

He said he was stowing it

[hank moon]

The next one will be ever more visible and flamboyant.

Yeah...and it's already happened... the Iraq War (aka "Bush's War").

[Gutpiler_Utahn]

Yeah...and it's already happened... the Iraq War (aka "Bush's War").

[JP]

It'll be McCain they're complaining about next