2 persons on board with firearms request drinks.

Attributes
ACN	145839
Time
Date	199005
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 9500
ASRS Report	145839
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While still at gate, F/a advised me that 2 firearm carrying passenger were requesting alcoholic drinks from him, which is strictly forbidden. In order for them to carry firearms on board, they must demonstrate a need for the weapon during flight. When confronted by me, they said that they were picking up a prisoner in 2 days in la and they then admitted that they didn't really need their weapons on this particular leg. At this point we thought about having their weapons checked, but they agreed not to ask for any more drinks. Checking the weapons would have added substantially to our already 45 min later arrival. Their need to carry firearms should have been more properly ascertained prior to their getting onboard. Perhaps I should have had their guns checked in compliance with far 108.11, but I felt that it was safe and didn't justify the delay. Personally, I think that firearms have no business being onboard for any reason.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 2 PERSONS ON BOARD WITH FIREARMS REQUEST DRINKS.

Narrative: WHILE STILL AT GATE, F/A ADVISED ME THAT 2 FIREARM CARRYING PAX WERE REQUESTING ALCOHOLIC DRINKS FROM HIM, WHICH IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN. IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CARRY FIREARMS ON BOARD, THEY MUST DEMONSTRATE A NEED FOR THE WEAPON DURING FLT. WHEN CONFRONTED BY ME, THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE PICKING UP A PRISONER IN 2 DAYS IN LA AND THEY THEN ADMITTED THAT THEY DIDN'T REALLY NEED THEIR WEAPONS ON THIS PARTICULAR LEG. AT THIS POINT WE THOUGHT ABOUT HAVING THEIR WEAPONS CHKED, BUT THEY AGREED NOT TO ASK FOR ANY MORE DRINKS. CHKING THE WEAPONS WOULD HAVE ADDED SUBSTANTIALLY TO OUR ALREADY 45 MIN LATER ARR. THEIR NEED TO CARRY FIREARMS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROPERLY ASCERTAINED PRIOR TO THEIR GETTING ONBOARD. PERHAPS I SHOULD HAVE HAD THEIR GUNS CHKED IN COMPLIANCE WITH FAR 108.11, BUT I FELT THAT IT WAS SAFE AND DIDN'T JUSTIFY THE DELAY. PERSONALLY, I THINK THAT FIREARMS HAVE NO BUSINESS BEING ONBOARD FOR ANY REASON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.