Airline Pilots Security Alliance releases press release on accidental shooting

Their press release is available here:

Airline pilots and federal flight deck officers (FFDO) say ill-conceived TSA weapons handling rules were to blame for the accidental discharge of a pilot’s firearm in the cockpit of a US Airways jet last weekend.

Federal officers familiar with the investigation say they repeatedly warned TSA officials that an unprecedented TSA requirement that pilots take off and lock up their guns before leaving the cockpit is manifestly unsafe and would result in accidents.

“The pilot was trying to lock his gun and remove the holster in an airplane going 300 miles per hour in preparation for landing and the padlock depressed the trigger,” said a federal flight deck officer who declined to be identified. “TSA knew this could happen but didn’t get rid of the requirement.” . . . .

Putting a lock on a trigger involves this exact type of risk unless you are also going to require the pilots to load and unload the gun once they get on the plane. Indeed, it is precisely because of this concern that trigger lock makers warn people not to put these locks on a loaded gun.