PIC of air carrier complains that airport security is lax. Cites 50 security checks in uniform where...

Attributes
ACN	122668
Time
Date	198907
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dtw
State Reference	MI
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 11000
ASRS Report	122668
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Personal travel bag placed in x-ray screening device. Bag contained small camera (in lead-lined, protective film pouch) and alarm clock, together in zippered external pocket. From previous experience, I know that these 3 items, when combined, produce an image on the x-ray screen showing a black rectangle (lead bag) with dim clock face, and battery associated circuitry (superimposed with clock face), as in the figure below. This event is the latest in several months' worth of normal flying schedule screening exposures. No challenge or verbal inquiry was made concerning the contents of the bag. Out of approximately 50 security screening events, only 3 references have been made by security personnel to the ominous image. All 3 references were given the same answer, 'it is a lead-lined film pouch and an alarm clock.' no security person, in those 50 screenings, ever made additional reference to the bag's contents or asked for visibility confirmation. All events were conducted in full pilot's uniform. If face-value is a good enough standard for security screening, we are in unnecessary danger!!!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PIC OF ACR COMPLAINS THAT ARPT SECURITY IS LAX. CITES 50 SECURITY CHECKS IN UNIFORM WHERE A SUSPICIOUS IMAGE IN HIS PERSONAL BAGGAGE WAS NOT CHALLENGED, OR WHEN CHALLENGED GUARD TOOK VERBAL EXPLANATION WITHOUT PHYSICALLY CHECKING THE ITEM.

Narrative: PERSONAL TRAVEL BAG PLACED IN X-RAY SCREENING DEVICE. BAG CONTAINED SMALL CAMERA (IN LEAD-LINED, PROTECTIVE FILM POUCH) AND ALARM CLOCK, TOGETHER IN ZIPPERED EXTERNAL POCKET. FROM PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE, I KNOW THAT THESE 3 ITEMS, WHEN COMBINED, PRODUCE AN IMAGE ON THE X-RAY SCREEN SHOWING A BLACK RECTANGLE (LEAD BAG) WITH DIM CLOCK FACE, AND BATTERY ASSOCIATED CIRCUITRY (SUPERIMPOSED WITH CLOCK FACE), AS IN THE FIGURE BELOW. THIS EVENT IS THE LATEST IN SEVERAL MONTHS' WORTH OF NORMAL FLYING SCHEDULE SCREENING EXPOSURES. NO CHALLENGE OR VERBAL INQUIRY WAS MADE CONCERNING THE CONTENTS OF THE BAG. OUT OF APPROX 50 SECURITY SCREENING EVENTS, ONLY 3 REFERENCES HAVE BEEN MADE BY SECURITY PERSONNEL TO THE OMINOUS IMAGE. ALL 3 REFERENCES WERE GIVEN THE SAME ANSWER, 'IT IS A LEAD-LINED FILM POUCH AND AN ALARM CLOCK.' NO SECURITY PERSON, IN THOSE 50 SCREENINGS, EVER MADE ADDITIONAL REF TO THE BAG'S CONTENTS OR ASKED FOR VIS CONFIRMATION. ALL EVENTS WERE CONDUCTED IN FULL PLT'S UNIFORM. IF FACE-VALUE IS A GOOD ENOUGH STANDARD FOR SECURITY SCREENING, WE ARE IN UNNECESSARY DANGER!!!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

PIC of air carrier complains that airport security is lax. Cites 50 security checks in uniform where a suspicious image in his personal baggage was not challenged, or when challenged guard took verbal explanation without physically checking the item.