TSA intercepts loaded handgun found in flight crew member's carry-on at DC-area airport

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, cited a member of an airline flight crew on Friday, after they were found to be in possession of a loaded handgun at one of the airport’s checkpoints.

The TSA said in a news release that the female flight crew member, who has not been named, was carrying a 9 mm pistol that was loaded with nine bullets, including one in the chamber.

Once TSA officers came across the firearm, they immediately notified police from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (WMAA), who responded to the checkpoint, confiscated the firearm and issued a citation to the woman.

TSA also told the unnamed airline about the matter.

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The woman now faces a federal civil penalty for taking a loaded firearm to a TSA checkpoint, which can carry a maximum fine of $15,000.

"This was a good catch on the part of our TSA officers as it addressed a possible insider threat situation," John Busch, the TSA federal security director for the airport said. 

"Individuals who work on the secure side of airports and on board aircraft, whether they are members of the flight crew, work at retail shops, work for airlines, or are contractors of a company that does business at the airport, are not allowed to bring prohibited items onto the secure side of the airport or onto a flight, especially firearms. We are always on alert for any employees who may have possible bad intentions which could possibly represent a threat to aviation security."

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While it is lawful to travel with a firearm, the TSA provides details on its website on how to properly travel with a firearm. In particular, the TSA says the firearm must be unloaded, packed inside a locked hard-sided case and declared at the airline counter so it can be placed in the belly of the aircraft along with checked baggage.

So far this year, as of Nov. 17, 2024, TSA officers have intercepted 36 firearms at Reagan National Airport checkpoints.

Last year, officers intercepted 39 firearms at the airport’s TSA checkpoints, and the year before there were 29 firearms intercepted.

The TSA said bringing a firearm to an airport carries a federal civil penalty because TSA has the right to issue civil penalties to travelers with guns and gun parts at a checkpoint. 

The civil penalties for such actions can reach into the thousands of dollars, depending on the circumstances.