Pilot Accidental Discharge

A pilot, trained and packing, had his gun go off in flight. I wonder why? Maybe there is a clue with the type holster the pilot was using. It was the FAA mandated "holster vault. Yes you read that right, it was a "holster vault". A bureaucratic design that all pilots must use, and the standard carry gun a .40 cal Sig SauerH & K. You may inquire, what exactly is that holster again? It's sort of like a holster with a built in trigger lock. It looks like this ...

This model is made by Galco, a reputable company. Armed airline pilots who are part of the Federal Flight Deck Officers will find that the Holster Vault™ meets that program’s requirements for pre- and post-boarding weapon security, and provides extra peace of mind when flying with a firearm.

If there ever was an abomination, I bet it couldn't top this. The idea is the gun is holstered and the pilot must thread the trigger lock through the holster and the firearm trigger guard. A recipe for disaster.

Here is a press report of what happened.

A gun belonging to the pilot of a US Airways plane discharged as the aircraft was on approach to land in North Carolina over the weekend, the first time a weapon issued under a federal program to arm pilots was fired, authorities said Monday.

The "accidental discharge" Saturday aboard Flight 1536 from Denver to Charlotte did not pose a danger to the aircraft or the 124 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants aboard, said Greg Alter of the Federal Air Marshal Service.

"We know that there was never any danger to the aircraft or to the occupants on board," Alter said.

The firing is the first time a pilot's weapon has been fired on a plane under a program created after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to allow pilots, for example, to use a firearm to defend against any act of air piracy or criminal violence, he said.

The Transportation Security Administration is investigating how the gun discharged and is being assisted by the Air Marshal Service, Alter said.

Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Mike Fergus said his agency is also investigating to make sure that the plane is safe. The aircraft has been removed from service, the airline said.

The pilot's rig actually looks like an accident waiting to happen, and it did. All in the name of "saftey".

Actually it's all because of bureaucratic paranoia. A proper holster and proper training will do thank you. The guy is driving the plane for goodness sake.

UPDATE: The APSA reacts -- They’ve echoed what I said above, give the pilots a proper holster for carry.

Read the APSA Press Release here.