Narrative:

This NASA form is being filled out in addition to a company crew irregular operation report due to a gross lapse of security at dca. My crew, along with a large number of passenger, were delayed at the security chkpoint at the ticket counter on the morning of mar/xx/94. A ms. Xyz, who appeared to be in charge, would allow no one through with the only explanation being that we would have to use the second chkpoint at other company. However, some individuals were allowed to pass completely unscreened! This occurred before the rest of us were allowed through. The individuals wore no uniforms so I suspect they might have been food service employees. My understanding though is that all personnel are to be screened. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: analyst called local FSDO for federal aviation reference and was referred to far 108.9 paragraph C. This states that each air carrier must have a program of security and must inspect each person entering a sterile area. Reporter is correct that everyone must pass through the screening. At times waivers are given but this would not appear to be one of those instances.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC AND PAX HELD UP AT SECURITY SCREENING AREA, BUT SOME INDIVIDUALS ARE ALLOWED TO PASS COMPLETELY UNSCREENED.

Narrative: THIS NASA FORM IS BEING FILLED OUT IN ADDITION TO A COMPANY CREW IRREGULAR OP RPT DUE TO A GROSS LAPSE OF SECURITY AT DCA. MY CREW, ALONG WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF PAX, WERE DELAYED AT THE SECURITY CHKPOINT AT THE TICKET COUNTER ON THE MORNING OF MAR/XX/94. A MS. XYZ, WHO APPEARED TO BE IN CHARGE, WOULD ALLOW NO ONE THROUGH WITH THE ONLY EXPLANATION BEING THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO USE THE SECOND CHKPOINT AT OTHER COMPANY. HOWEVER, SOME INDIVIDUALS WERE ALLOWED TO PASS COMPLETELY UNSCREENED! THIS OCCURRED BEFORE THE REST OF US WERE ALLOWED THROUGH. THE INDIVIDUALS WORE NO UNIFORMS SO I SUSPECT THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN FOOD SVC EMPLOYEES. MY UNDERSTANDING THOUGH IS THAT ALL PERSONNEL ARE TO BE SCREENED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: ANALYST CALLED LCL FSDO FOR FEDERAL AVIATION REF AND WAS REFERRED TO FAR 108.9 PARAGRAPH C. THIS STATES THAT EACH ACR MUST HAVE A PROGRAM OF SECURITY AND MUST INSPECT EACH PERSON ENTERING A STERILE AREA. RPTR IS CORRECT THAT EVERYONE MUST PASS THROUGH THE SCREENING. AT TIMES WAIVERS ARE GIVEN BUT THIS WOULD NOT APPEAR TO BE ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES.

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.