Reporter captain going through security metal detectors at airport refused to be patted down by secu...

Attributes
ACN	378256
Time
Date	199708
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	378256
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Airport	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Phl security had no hand wands this morning, aug/xa/97. Either their metal detectors were miscalibrated or not working. I heard several security agents say they were not working. I set the detector off and was called aside. I thought I would get wanded but the guard was ready to pat me down. I refused and told them to get their wands. I was told they had no wands. Again, I refused the hand search and told them to get wands. They again said they had none. One flight attendant said she offered to put her keys in a tray and was motioned aside to be patted down. She received at most a cursory check from her description. The first officer went through the detector and set it off, he was not searched further. After removing all my metal wear, I finally did make it through the detector. Phl operations was apathetic towards the situation when I brought it up. All I was told was that they passed an inspection the previous day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR CAPT GOING THROUGH SECURITY METAL DETECTORS AT ARPT REFUSED TO BE PATTED DOWN BY SECURITY PERSONNEL. DETECTORS WERE SET TOO HIGH AND GUARDS HAD NO HAND WANDS.

Narrative: PHL SECURITY HAD NO HAND WANDS THIS MORNING, AUG/XA/97. EITHER THEIR METAL DETECTORS WERE MISCALIBRATED OR NOT WORKING. I HEARD SEVERAL SECURITY AGENTS SAY THEY WERE NOT WORKING. I SET THE DETECTOR OFF AND WAS CALLED ASIDE. I THOUGHT I WOULD GET WANDED BUT THE GUARD WAS READY TO PAT ME DOWN. I REFUSED AND TOLD THEM TO GET THEIR WANDS. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD NO WANDS. AGAIN, I REFUSED THE HAND SEARCH AND TOLD THEM TO GET WANDS. THEY AGAIN SAID THEY HAD NONE. ONE FLT ATTENDANT SAID SHE OFFERED TO PUT HER KEYS IN A TRAY AND WAS MOTIONED ASIDE TO BE PATTED DOWN. SHE RECEIVED AT MOST A CURSORY CHK FROM HER DESCRIPTION. THE FO WENT THROUGH THE DETECTOR AND SET IT OFF, HE WAS NOT SEARCHED FURTHER. AFTER REMOVING ALL MY METAL WEAR, I FINALLY DID MAKE IT THROUGH THE DETECTOR. PHL OPS WAS APATHETIC TOWARDS THE SIT WHEN I BROUGHT IT UP. ALL I WAS TOLD WAS THAT THEY PASSED AN INSPECTION THE PREVIOUS DAY.

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.

Reporter captain going through security metal detectors at airport refused to be patted down by security personnel. Detectors were set too high and guards had no hand wands.