Narrative:

During taxi, the purser advised that she had a pcfa (person carrying fire arms) on her list who had not idented himself to any flight crew member. A us marshal was asked if he had any paperwork and presented his 'notice to armed individuals and prisoner escorts' form. After bringing it to the flight deck, we contacted operations and spoke directly with the boarding agent and ticket agent who signed the form in order to determine his validity. It was mutually agreed by all to continue the flight and speak directly with the marshal upon landing. He denied that he had been told to talk to anyone on board and apologized. This breach of SOP is an obvious security concern and agencies should ensure that pcfa's always identify themselves to flight crew members upon boarding. He claimed that other airlines do not have this policy.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757-200 CAPT RPTED THAT A US MARSHAL DID NOT FILE THE REQUIRED PAPERWORK TO CARRY A FIREARM AFTER THE FLT HAD ALREADY PUSHED BACK.

Narrative: DURING TAXI, THE PURSER ADVISED THAT SHE HAD A PCFA (PERSON CARRYING FIRE ARMS) ON HER LIST WHO HAD NOT IDENTED HIMSELF TO ANY FLT CREW MEMBER. A US MARSHAL WAS ASKED IF HE HAD ANY PAPERWORK AND PRESENTED HIS 'NOTICE TO ARMED INDIVIDUALS AND PRISONER ESCORTS' FORM. AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE FLT DECK, WE CONTACTED OPS AND SPOKE DIRECTLY WITH THE BOARDING AGENT AND TICKET AGENT WHO SIGNED THE FORM IN ORDER TO DETERMINE HIS VALIDITY. IT WAS MUTUALLY AGREED BY ALL TO CONTINUE THE FLT AND SPEAK DIRECTLY WITH THE MARSHAL UPON LNDG. HE DENIED THAT HE HAD BEEN TOLD TO TALK TO ANYONE ON BOARD AND APOLOGIZED. THIS BREACH OF SOP IS AN OBVIOUS SECURITY CONCERN AND AGENCIES SHOULD ENSURE THAT PCFA'S ALWAYS IDENT THEMSELVES TO FLT CREW MEMBERS UPON BOARDING. HE CLAIMED THAT OTHER AIRLINES DO NOT HAVE THIS POLICY.

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.