Narrative:

An armed individual was boarded (with proper airline form). As captain I asked him (via agent) to check his weapon. He refused. He said the fbi required him to carry it at all times. He said he would 'just this once' unload it and put the bullets in his briefcase. I felt it was the best compromise I could get at the time and permitted him to carry unloaded weapon on board. Later upon reviewing far 108.11 I interpreted it to mean that I do have the right to refuse boarding to an individual who will not check his arms. I feel justified in refusing armed individuals because security is poor and counterfeit credentials are easily obtained. Also, mental instability is possible in authority/authorized individuals as well as non-law enforcement, non-fbi persons. This problem may not lie within the scope of NASA reporting, but it is a potential safety item and should be addressed. I feel that no armed individuals should be allowed on part 121 acrs up to and including fbi, ss and sky marshalls. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has discussed incident with his union. Advised they are concerned with guns on board aircraft but confirmed certain authorities are permitted to carry loaded weapons in the cabin. Analyst had discussed far 108.11 with FAA security and passed the information on to reporter. It is no longer permitted to have weapons stored in the cockpit under any circumstances. Agreed he will have to permit the agents to keep their guns in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT REQUESTED FBI AGENT TO CHECK HIS WEAPON PRIOR TO BOARDING. AGENT ALLOWED ON ACFT WITH BULLETS REMOVED FROM WEAPON.

Narrative: AN ARMED INDIVIDUAL WAS BOARDED (WITH PROPER AIRLINE FORM). AS CAPT I ASKED HIM (VIA AGENT) TO CHECK HIS WEAPON. HE REFUSED. HE SAID THE FBI REQUIRED HIM TO CARRY IT AT ALL TIMES. HE SAID HE WOULD 'JUST THIS ONCE' UNLOAD IT AND PUT THE BULLETS IN HIS BRIEFCASE. I FELT IT WAS THE BEST COMPROMISE I COULD GET AT THE TIME AND PERMITTED HIM TO CARRY UNLOADED WEAPON ON BOARD. LATER UPON REVIEWING FAR 108.11 I INTERPRETED IT TO MEAN THAT I DO HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE BOARDING TO AN INDIVIDUAL WHO WILL NOT CHECK HIS ARMS. I FEEL JUSTIFIED IN REFUSING ARMED INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE SECURITY IS POOR AND COUNTERFEIT CREDENTIALS ARE EASILY OBTAINED. ALSO, MENTAL INSTABILITY IS POSSIBLE IN AUTH INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS NON-LAW ENFORCEMENT, NON-FBI PERSONS. THIS PROB MAY NOT LIE WITHIN THE SCOPE OF NASA RPTING, BUT IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ITEM AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I FEEL THAT NO ARMED INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE ALLOWED ON PART 121 ACRS UP TO AND INCLUDING FBI, SS AND SKY MARSHALLS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAS DISCUSSED INCIDENT WITH HIS UNION. ADVISED THEY ARE CONCERNED WITH GUNS ON BOARD ACFT BUT CONFIRMED CERTAIN AUTHORITIES ARE PERMITTED TO CARRY LOADED WEAPONS IN THE CABIN. ANALYST HAD DISCUSSED FAR 108.11 WITH FAA SECURITY AND PASSED THE INFO ON TO RPTR. IT IS NO LONGER PERMITTED TO HAVE WEAPONS STORED IN THE COCKPIT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. AGREED HE WILL HAVE TO PERMIT THE AGENTS TO KEEP THEIR GUNS IN THE FUTURE.

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.