Well, well, well

[tellner]

According to an article in Sun Myung Moon's paper we have an idea about how the gun "just went off"

"The pilot has to take his gun off and lock it up before he leaves the cockpit, so he was trying to secure the gun in preparation for landing, while he was trying to fly the airplane, too," said David Mackett, president of the Airline Pilots Security Alliance. "In the process of doing that, the padlock that is required to be inserted into the holster pulled the trigger and caused the gun to discharge.
...
(TSA) has refused to adopt standard carriage rules recommended last year by the Federal Air Marshal Service.
...
pilots handle the gun as many as 10 times per flight, the association estimates.
...
must use a holster used primarily as a home child-safety lock. A padlock is inserted through the holster and trigger guard, but, if inserted backward, it can trigger the gun

How are the TSA regulations dead stupid? Let me count the ways...

 

[jks9199]

If accurate... Why was he trying to secure the gun before the plane was stopped at the terminal?

All he had to do was pull into the terminal, park the plane, THEN secure his firearm. Not try to juggle a gun, a gun lock and the plane's controls. Any combination seems to require both hands and a fair amount of attention.

 

[wade]

So, uh, he was trying to secure a weapon with a round in the chamber, his finger in the trigger well and the safety off? Sounds good to me.

 

[searcher]

So, uh, he was trying to secure a weapon with a round in the chamber, his finger in the trigger well and the safety off? Sounds good to me.

My understanding is that the padlock caused the discharge.

And many pistols do not have a safety, in the traditional sense.

And you are taught to always have a round in the chamber.


I am not saying that he was right or wrong in any way. I am just adding some clarification.

 

[wade]

"Always have a round in the chamber?" Hmmmmm. Well, that would explain all the accidental discharge deaths over the years. I have always wondered about that. Thank you.

So, uh, are you saying that weapons don't kill people, padlocks do?

Please, before you crucify me, I am a member of the NRA and was a range safety NCO in the Army and I think these are legitimate questions. So please answer responsibly.

 

[jks9199]

"Always have a round in the chamber?" Hmmmmm. Well, that would explain all the accidental discharge deaths over the years. I have always wondered about that. Thank you.

So, uh, are you saying that weapons don't kill people, padlocks do?

Please, before you crucify me, I am a member of the NRA and was a range safety NCO in the Army and I think these are legitimate questions. So please answer responsibly.

Law enforcement officers and others who are carrying a gun for practical self defense need to have the gun ready to fire on a moment's notice. There's no time to lock and load; the gun needs to be hot and ready. You might choose to carry a revolver over an empty chamber, since it'll rotate to the next cylinder... but modern cartridges and revolvers don't really require this. Many of the pistols carried by law enforcement also don't have an external safety.

Based on the information here -- I'd say what caused the discharge here was fumbling with a gun while trying to steer a plane. Handling a gun while doing anything unrelated is an invitation for disaster.

 

[searcher]

"Always have a round in the chamber?" Hmmmmm. Well, that would explain all the accidental discharge deaths over the years. I have always wondered about that. Thank you.

So, uh, are you saying that weapons don't kill people, padlocks do?

Please, before you crucify me, I am a member of the NRA and was a range safety NCO in the Army and I think these are legitimate questions. So please answer responsibly.

No, ignorance and improper handling are the cause of accidental discharge deaths. Our reason on having a round in the chamber is because, in an incident the one thing you never have enough of is.......TIME. Racking a round takes time.

Accidental discharges are most often from people having their finger on the trigger, with the gun pointed at something they don't want to shoot.

And I would NEVER crucify you for asking good questions.