"Security" damage 14 aircraft

[unstable load]

Will American Eagle get compensation for lost revenue, disruption to schedules, crewing etc that all this entails?

Of course not, after all it was in the interest of National Security so anything they do is in YOUR best interests........ even if it kills you.

[fleigle]

Great article and then editorial rant by Jim Campbell of ANN News.

Commuter Flights Grounded Thanks To Bumbling TSA Inspector Damaged TAT Probes On Nine Jets While Conducting 'Security
Checks'

They're the
government... and remember, they're here to help. A bumbling
inspector with the Transportation Safety Administration apparently
has some explaining to do, after nine American Eagle regional jets
were grounded at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport on
Tuesday.

Citing sources within the aviation industry, ABC News reports an
overzealous TSA employee attempted to gain access to the parked
aircraft by climbing up the fuselage... reportedly using the Total
Air Temperature (TAT) probes mounted to the planes' noses as
handholds.

"The brilliant employees used an instrument located just below
the cockpit window that is critical to the operation of the onboard
computers," one pilot wrote on an American Eagle internet forum.
"They decided this instrument, the TAT probe, would be adequate to
use as a ladder."

Officials with
American Eagle confirmed to ANN the problem
was discovered by maintenance personnel,
who inspected the planes Tuesday morning... and questioned why
the TAT probes all gave similar error indications.

One Eagle pilot says had the pilots not been so attentive, the
damaged probes could have caused problems inflight. TSA agents
"are now doing things to our aircraft that may put our lives, and
the lives of our passengers at risk," the pilot wrote on the
forum.

Grounding the planes to replace the TAT probes affected about 40
flights, according to American Airlines spokeswoman Mary Frances.
"We think it's an unfortunate situation," she told ABCNews.com.

TSA conducts routine spot inspections of aircraft parked
at commercial airports, according to agency spokesman Elio
Montenegro. "Our inspector was following routine procedure for
securing the aircraft that were on the tarmac," Montenegro said,
adding the inspector was attempting to determine whether someone
could break into the parked planes.

Pilots respond that agents are only allowed to check for
unlocked cabin doors... a clear security risk, that could indeed
compromise security. Indeed, regional airline Mesa Air Group notes
"48 percent of all TSA investigations involving Mesa Air Group
involve a failure to maintain area/aircraft security."

It's unclear whether that duty also allows an inspector to paw
around an aircraft, however.

E-I-C Note:
This was an extraordinarily dangerous incident, folks. The TSA has
neither the mandate nor the knowledge to inspect any aircraft for
any reason. The stupidity of this matter is nearly unbelievable...
until you hear that the TSA is involved... then it becomes
understandable, though still tragic. And I can not tell you how
frustrating it is, to see them continue to hurt an indsutry that
they were created to protect.

The TSA has NO BUSINESS putting untrained personnel in a
position to damage aircraft. Their bizarre games, in the name of
security, do NOTHING to enhance security and do much to inhibit
safety. Aviation personnel -- pilots, A&P's, ground personnel
-- are all either licensed or supervised by licensed personnel and
this kind of tampering, had it been accomplished by anyone
else, would have subjected that person to criminal charges.

In this case, ANN strongly recommends and encourages the
criminal prosecution of this so-called inspector and his immediate
supervisors... it is a matter of time before one of these morons
does something stupid and gets someone killed... and with the way
these incidents are occurring, we believe it is a virtual certainty
that a TSA "Inpector" will hurt or kill someone in such a manner.
No kidding.

A few other notes.. ANN spoke directly to the TSA PAO in this
story, Elio Montenegro... a man who desperately needs to get his
stories straight. When ANN talked to him early Tuesday evening,
Montenegro first stated that no aircraft were tampered with, and
thereafter attempted to minimize the issue by stating that a
TSA Inspector "may have touched" the aircraft... which American
Eagle "sorta" objected to. He claimed that there was no
attempt to enter the aircraft, and when he was asked if TSA was, in
fact, authorized to attempt such an entry -- out of the
sight/knowledge/supervision of American Eagle personnel -- he said
that he thought that I had asked a good question, did not know the
answer, and promised to get back to me... in direct conflict with
other reported statements. TSA can not keep their stories
straight... and lying to the media... especially that part of the
media that actually knows a thing or two about airplanes, was just
plain foolish... if not a deliberate attempt to mislead.

Mind you, this is the same agency that now wants to step up
supervision and surveillance of the GA world. Would you trust these
kind of folks around your airplane?

I sure do not, and will not -- and the first time that I see a
TSA person attempt any interaction with any aircraft under my
control, I will call the cops and do my utmost to see
that person charged with a crime... TSA can not be trusted around
Air Transport airplanes... hell, TSA can not be trusted around
GA... and TSA has shown us little or no reason why they should be
trusted, in any way, with the security of the traveling public.

We're fed up with the incompetence of this organization... and
while it was simply 'annoying' when they were sniffing our shoes or
trying to rip off our laptops, it gets downright threatening when
they start tampering with our airplanes.

Yes... this is quite the rant and I admit to no end of
frustration with this organization... but I have to tell you, it's
time to scrap the TSA and failing that, it is WAY past time that
they be SEVERELY curtailed in their ability to harm others. Simply
put, it's time to reign in the TSA... before they kill someone...
if they haven't already.

Rant over... for now. -- Jim Campbell, ANN
E-I-C.
FMI: TSA | Transportation Security Administration | U.S. Department of Homeland Security, The Chicago Airport System, Inspector Clouseau

For the WHOLE story, go to Aero-News Network: The Aviation and Aerospace World's Daily/Real-Time News and Information Service

Well said Jim !!
--------------

[oversteer]

I suspect Jim Campbell will end up on the terrorist watchlist very soon!

[Tyres O'Flaherty]

Hmmm

If a pilot did something comparably dangerous or stupid they would be
at a minimum, given retraining forthwith, or worse.

What will be the result for the security monkey I wonder ?

[Marsh Hawk]

Are the TSA now actively trying to get people killed? This idiot needs to be prosecuted!!

[PaperTiger]

What were these guys trying to prove ?

Hmm. Maybe the latest skirmish in this p!ssing contest ? Some heads need banging together.

[Airbubba]

If a pilot did something comparably dangerous or stupid they would be
at a minimum, given retraining forthwith, or worse.

What will be the result for the security monkey I wonder ?

From a Chicago Tribune article:

The security agency will retrain its inspectors to prevent a future occurrence, TSA spokesman Elio Montenegro said.

A lot of federal workers seem to have access to the ramp around an aircraft these days. I was doing a walkaround a few months ago and saw someone unfamiliar standing next to a belt loader. I asked one of the rampers and was told he was doing an OSHA inspection, checking things like railings, safety vests and emergency cutoffs. I've heard of health inspectors checking the galleys before a flight. Often these visitors are not announced to the flight deck until well after the fact. Perhaps we should have a little more consistency in notification of these 'inspectors'.

I can remember shortly after the 911 attacks I was told at a UK airport that I couldn't do an exterior preflight inspection of my own aircraft since I didn't have a local ramp pass. A set parking brake and a couple of phone calls resolved the issue to my satisfaction.

[glad rag]

You could't make it up could you

TSA conducts routine spot inspections of aircraft parked
at commercial airports, according to agency spokesman Elio
Montenegro. "Our inspector was following routine procedure for
securing the aircraft that were on the tarmac," Montenegro said,

Yeah keep talking buddy..................

[PaperTiger]

How do you know a TSA spokesman is lying ?

Yeah, that's right.

Update: Well . The TSA now claims this to been a successful test.
Inspector may have found airline security breach, TSA says - CNN.com

[Gargleblaster]

"American Airlines, which owns and operates American Eagle, could face fines over the incident, she said."

What hilarious stupidity !

In engineering it's called "destructive testing". This must have been a "destructive inspection".

[porch monkey]

I bet the fines levied will be equal to or slightly more than the potential claim against the TSA for damage/loss by the airline. Cynical? Nahh, not me!!! F#ckwits!

[Max noise]

There is as much (more?) danger from the idiots within the country than from the bad guys outside trying to get in. And which ones get finger-printed?

[Chippie Chappie]

Shame. Seems to be an "Us and Them" attitude towards security i.e. trying to catch people out and punish them. A more secure method is to work WITH the flight crew but that doen't appear on the radar apparently.

I really hope that the Spanair crash in Madrid wasn't the result of a malfunction witht the TAT probe, as is currently being speculated.

Be safe out there,

Chips

[deltayankee]

Supposed to stop people getting close enough to touch

As I understand it commercial airplanes are not designed to be parked outside in a dodgy neighborhood with just a bike lock on the landing gear and a "no radio" sign in the cockpit window. They are supposed to be in a secure environment because even an unsuccessful attempt at a break in can cause potentially lethal damage.

So the role of the TSA should not be trying to force doors open or break the windows but making sure nobody gets close enough to try. I can understand why the TSA teams test security by trying to break into the secure area and get access to airplanes but I do not think that they should be allowed to make any contact -- not even just to put a "gotcha" sticker on the fuselage (sooner or later it would end up on the static port). If they want to prove they have found a weakness in the security they should take a photo of themselves next to the plane.

Which brings me to an important question. Did the bumbling inspector successfully penetrate the perimiter security then simply go too far? Or did he use his pass to get airside and then screwed up? In this case the best way to improve security is to take away their passes.

[Marsh Hawk]

If this fiasco was merely "following routine procedure for securing the aircraft", will there now have to be extra inspections to look for potential damage by TSA "procedures"? TSA employees have no business trying to break into airplanes or even touching them in any way. They are simply not qualified to do so.

I wonder if there will be an apology forthcoming from the TSA for the downtime necessary to inspect every aircraft that was "tested" this way, or for the potentially dangerous "procedure". More likely a commendation for the overzealous inspector!!

[Tango and Cash]

WHBM, given the demonstrated competence/ability/stupidity of the TSA, probably a promotion!

[Airbubba]

Here's AE's recent press release about the incident:

American Eagle Airlines Statement About TSA Actions in Chicago

FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Eagle Airlines agrees with the TSA that the inspection process is an important layer of security detail.

American Eagle is confident that it followed all proper security procedures for securing aircraft overnight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Discussing specific security procedures in detail in a public forum could compromise the security process.

On the morning of Aug. 19, a TSA transportation security inspector used a sensitive piece of equipment on nine American Eagle aircraft to hoist himself up from the ground onto several jet bridges at O'Hare. Such unorthodox inspection techniques required additional maintenance inspections per FAA procedures, causing delays to approximately 40 flights and inconveniencing hundreds of customers.

If not observed by vigilant Eagle employees in Chicago, the actions of this inspector would have been unknown and could have jeopardized the safety of our customers and crew because of potential damage to the sensitive equipment mounted on the aircraft fuselage.

American Eagle is also concerned that the TSA inspector's method of physically hoisting himself up to the jet bridge using a part of the aircraft could have placed him in physical danger.

And, of course, the TSA has a reply:

TSA Fires Back: Blames Airline for 'Security Violation'

By JOSEPH RHEE and ERIC LONGABARDI
August 21, 2008—

Even though its inspector's actions caused nine American Eagle planes to be grounded in Chicago this week, the Transporatation Security Administration says it may pursue action against the airline for security lapses.

...TSA, however, strongly defended its inspector's actions, noting in a statement that he was able to gain interior access to seven of the nine aircraft he inspected, which was an "apparent violation of the airline's security program." TSA said it encourages its inspectors to look for such vulnerabilities and after reviewing the inspection results, the agency "could take action against the airline, up to and including levying civil penalties."

TSA acknowledged that its inspector pulled himself up the side of the aircraft by using a Total Air Temperature (TAT) probe as a handhold. The TAT probe, which measures outside air temperature and connects to key computer systems inside the aircraft, is considered critical to flight safety. TSA said it was not its intent to "cause delays or potential damage to aircraft as a result of our inspections," and that the agency acted quickly to "re-enforce education about sensitive equipment located on the exterior of a plane."

Meanwhile, Aero-News Network (ANN), a leading source of aviation industry news, reported that the O'Hare TSA inspector had apparently used the same technique previously to gain access to parked planes.

In a memo obtained by ANN, an airline flight crew member complained that "this was not the first time that this same TSA agent had done this. After one of our ORD (O'Hare) mechanics caught him doing this he explained that he could damage the TAT sensor. The agent then admitted that he used the sensors many times in the past doing the same thing."

The memo also stated that in a previous incident, a damaged TAT probe caused a flight delay of an American Eagle plane on August 16th that "the mechanics suspect was caused by the same agent."

ANN editor Jim Campbell told ABC News that the flight crew member who sent the memo had been a reliable source of information in the past.

TSA was unavailable for comment on the inspector's alleged past actions. In its statement, however, the agency defended the qualifications of its inspectors, noting that they "undergo a 4-week basic training course that consists of security regulations overview, inspection procedures, and safety briefings," and receive additional safety training at each local airport.

Campbell said such training would be considered inadequate under federal aviation regulations because personnel whose actions "could impact the airworthiness of an aircraft must undergo aircraft specific training programs."

ABC News: TSA Fires Back: Blames Airline for 'Security Violation'

[Ychocky]

Any terrorist using this method to get into the aircraft would realize that they broke something and choose a new method. We can't have the terrorists flying in unsafe planes, can we?

This is sheer brilliance by TSA.

[Clandestino]

I'm unable to find any reference to the type of the aircraft involved. Were they CRJ700s, ERJs or mix of both?

And do their flightdeck side windows open at all?

[greuzi]

Yes the windows can be opened. From the inside.... There are a couple of doors to get in though which are much much easier to pass through if you do the odd cheeseburger now and again. The crew, passengers, caterers, fuellers, despatcher often use this method of entry in preference to climbing through the window.

I suspect that having climbed up the outside of an aircraft in the fashion described, the guy wouldn't have a clue what the inside was ever meant to look like anyway.

That backpack marked 'boom' on the L/H seat, the smoke, disco lights and the party of 15 dancing girls in the cockpit was entirely normal so he would surely just climb back down and finish his shift?...or maybe he'd climb through the window and steal all the LCD screens whilst nobody was watching?.... He would grow old and tired trying to break the 'glass' so the TV's are safe!

On a more serious note, this is the sort of thing that makes accidents happen that hurt real people. Not funny at all.