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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Pilot's gun fired during flight | Pilot's gun fired during flight |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| An investigation is under way into how a gun carried by a US Airways pilot was discharged during a flight. | |
| No-one was hurt when the gun went off as the plane was preparing to land at Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday. | No-one was hurt when the gun went off as the plane was preparing to land at Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday. |
| A hole in a cockpit wall apparently caused by the shot is visible in photos obtained by AP news agency. | A hole in a cockpit wall apparently caused by the shot is visible in photos obtained by AP news agency. |
| Under a programme implemented after the 9/11 attacks, US airline pilots are allowed to carry guns on domestic flights following a training course. | Under a programme implemented after the 9/11 attacks, US airline pilots are allowed to carry guns on domestic flights following a training course. |
| Passengers 'unaware' | Passengers 'unaware' |
| The gun discharged just before noon on Saturday aboard Flight 1536 from Denver to Charlotte, as the Airbus A319 plane was at about 8,000 feet and was approaching to land. | The gun discharged just before noon on Saturday aboard Flight 1536 from Denver to Charlotte, as the Airbus A319 plane was at about 8,000 feet and was approaching to land. |
| The plane was sequestered and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is looking into the incident, spokesman Dwayne Baird said. | The plane was sequestered and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is looking into the incident, spokesman Dwayne Baird said. |
| He said the airline was co-operating and that the FBI would also probably be involved. | He said the airline was co-operating and that the FBI would also probably be involved. |
| The pilot has been put on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. | The pilot has been put on leave pending the outcome of the investigation. |
| Mr Baird said he believed the 124 passengers on board at the time were not aware of the incident. | Mr Baird said he believed the 124 passengers on board at the time were not aware of the incident. |
| Aeronautical experts disagree on how much risk there is that such a stray bullet could bring down an aircraft. | Aeronautical experts disagree on how much risk there is that such a stray bullet could bring down an aircraft. |
| Psychological tests | Psychological tests |
| Under the TSA's Federal Flight Deck Officer programme, pilots may apply for a licence to carry a gun on board for domestic flights. | Under the TSA's Federal Flight Deck Officer programme, pilots may apply for a licence to carry a gun on board for domestic flights. |
| They must undergo a week-long training course and psychological tests. | They must undergo a week-long training course and psychological tests. |
| Since April 2003, about 5,000 flight deck officers - captains or first officers - have been authorised to carry weapons, Capt Bob Hesselbein, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association's National Security Committee, told the Associated Press. | Since April 2003, about 5,000 flight deck officers - captains or first officers - have been authorised to carry weapons, Capt Bob Hesselbein, chairman of the Air Line Pilots Association's National Security Committee, told the Associated Press. |
| All pilots who qualify from the programme are said to carry the same weapon - a .40-caliber semiautomatic H&K USP - which experts say is extremely unlikely to go off on its own. | All pilots who qualify from the programme are said to carry the same weapon - a .40-caliber semiautomatic H&K USP - which experts say is extremely unlikely to go off on its own. |