Airline pilots concerned about guns accidentally triggered in cockpits

TAMPA - Handguns used by pilots to fight terrorism can accidentally go off inside cockpits -- that's despite a government report that first warned of the danger more than two years ago.

The Federal Flight Deck Officer Program was launched in the wake of the 911 attacks and provides pilots who volunteer with extensive training -- at the pilot's expense.
But we've learned there have been two incidents of handguns accidentally being discharged in the cockpit and a third during training.

Capt. Steve Sevier, National Security Chairman for the U.S. Airline Pilots Association, said the problem stems from a holster and locking mechanism pilots are required to utilize.

"There have been several accidental discharges related to the holster and procedures involved where a lock has caused the firearm to discharge," said Sevier. "Not the operator's finger or anything like that."

In fact, the government has known of the potentially deadly flaw for at least two full years.

A 2008 Inspector General report issued by the Department of Homeland Security found the "design renders the weapon vulnerable to accidental discharges." It urged the Transportation Security Administration to "discontinue its use."

But so far, the TSA has not acted, saying it continues to review the recommendations.
Meanwhile, nationally recognized weapons experts like Paul Huebl -- who has spoken out publicly for years -- said "sooner or later there's going to be a failure."

In demonstrations, Huebl said the reason the weapon goes off is related to how the trigger is touched by a special padlock that pilots are required to use every time they enter or exit the cockpit.

"The more they handle it," said Huebl, "The more likely there is going to be an accident."

An unloaded weapon was accidentally triggered as Huebl demonstrated the locking and unlocking procedure.

"Oh, wait a minute -- let's make sure this is seated in the holster properly," he said.
As Huebl attempted to put the gun back in its holster, the weapon went off.

"Hopefully, it wasn't pointed at my knee or my co-pilot, but it obviously went off."

Current federal regulations require pilots to lock and unlock their weapons each time they leave the cockpit -- something other federally licensed agents are not required to do.

"You have to ask the question," said Capt. Sevier, "why is a flight deck officer being required to take this weapon off his person -- multiple times a day -- when every other law enforcement officer in the country straps it on in the morning and doesn't fiddle with it until he gets back home at night."

Meanwhile, in Congress, House Bill 2200 would make significant changes in the Federal Flight Deck Officer program that pilots say would improve the program's effectiveness, but no action has been taken on the bill since 2002.