http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...ld%2Dheadlines
January 21, 2003, 2:38 PM EST
Pilot alleged to have gun in carry-on
NEW YORK -- A Northwest Airlines pilot scheduled to work a Detroit-bound flight was arrested Tuesday morning at LaGuardia Airport after a loaded handgun was found in his carry-on luggage, authorities said.
Robert Donaldson, 43, was charged with three state counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and could face up to 15 years in prison, said the office of Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown.
According to authorities, Donaldson was walking through a terminal used for luggage screening of passengers and crew of both Northwest and Delta Airlines. Officials discovered the Taurus 9 mm semiautomatic handgun in his carry-on luggage.
Donaldson was scheduled as co-pilot on Flight 1191 from New York to Detroit, departing at 6 a.m. He had a permit to carry the gun in Michigan.
Brian Turmail, spokesman for the federal Transportation Security Administration, said screeners identified a handgun while examining a carry-on bag and referred the owner to local law enforcement. Police of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the agency that runs the airport, took him to a secure area, Turmail said.
No disciplinary action was immediately taken against Donaldson, who was in custody pending arraignment.
"We are cooperating with local and federal authorities," said Mary Beth Schubert, spokeswoman for Northwest.
A spokesman for Northwest's pilot union, the Air Line Pilots Association, said the group was aware of the incident. "We definitely don't want to speculate at this time," said Will Holman.
The homeland security bill that President Bush signed in November includes a provision allowing pilots on passenger planes to carry weapons -- but they would have to receive special training. The Transportation Security Administration was given broad authority to set standards, develop a training program and write rules for what kind of weapons would be used. It was estimated at the time that the program could be in operation as early as this spring.