DEADHEADING CAPT STOPPED AT SECURITY BECAUSE OF A HANDGUN IN HIS BAG.

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ON APR/AA/96; AT APPROX PM00 HRS; MY AIRLINE EMPLOYER INFORMED ME THAT A TRIP TRADE HAD BEEN APPROVED FOR APR/BB/96 WHICH GAVE ME THE ENTIRE DAY OFF.I WAS TO RPT BACK TO WORK IN RSW AT APR/DD/96 AT AM20 HRS. THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST WAS TO GIVE MYSELF TIME TO DRIVE MY CAR 1620 MI FROM RSW TO HYA. REASON FOR RELOCATION OF CAR IS TO HAVE OWN TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM WORK WHILE IN HYA. THE COMPANY IS RELOCATING 6 CREW MEMBERS FOR 7 MONTHS ON TDY. THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE A HOUSE TO SHARE AND 1 CAR TO GO BACK AND FORTH TO WORK AND LIVE. I THOUGHT IT NECESSARY TO HAVE MY OWN VEHICLE FOR MY OWN PERSONAL NECESSITIES (IE; SHOPPING FOR FOOD; CHURCH; ETC). I HURRIED TO PACK ON THUR EVENING AND FRI MORNING; TAKING LIVING PROVISIONS FOR 6-7 MON. SINCE I ONLY RECEIVED WORD OF THE TRIP TRADE ON THUR AFTERNOON; THIS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO MAKE THE 30 HR DRIVE AND FLY BACK TO RSW TO RPT ON MON AT AM20. THE COMPANY HAD PROVIDED ME WITH A POSITIVE SPACE TICKET TO TRAVEL ON APR/CC/96 WITH THE REST OF MY BELONGINGS FROM RSW-HYA SO I COULD FLY ON TUE A PM SHIFT. UPON ARRIVING IN HYA AT EARLY AM ON SUN; I CHKED INTO A HOTEL ON MY OWN TIME AND EXPENSE AND SLEPT. UPON WAKING UP I ASKED MY WIFE TO PACK AN OVER-NIGHT PACK WITH FLT UNIFORM CLOTHES FOR THE RETURN FLT HOME. I HAD ASKED TO BE RELEASED FROM THE TRIP ON MON; BUT THE COMPANY SAID NO AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANYONE TO TRADE WITH. ALL I HAD ON MY MIND WAS TO MAKE THE SHOW TIME ON MON AT AM20 IN RSW OR THE COMPANY WOULD FIRE ME FOR A NO SHOW. WE DROVE TO THE ARPT IN HOPES OF OBTAINING THE KEY TO THE HOUSE WHERE I WAS TO MOVE IN. THE COMPANY STATION PERSONNEL IN HYA HAD TO CALL THE STATION MGR TO OBTAIN THE ADDRESS. THE KEY WAS NOT AVAILABLE; SO I DROVE TO THE ADDRESS BUT NO ONE WAS THERE. I WAS TOLD THE LANDLORD LIVED NEXT DOOR; BUT THAT WAS NOT TRUE. I RETURNED BACK TO THE ARPT AND PARKED MY CAR. WITH NO WHERE TO UNPACK MY CAR; I TRIED TO REARRANGE MY BELONGS FOR THE FLT BACK TO RSW TO RPT TO WORK IN 15 HRS. WHEN I WENT THROUGH SECURITY; I PUT MY OVERNIGHT BAG ON THE XRAY MACHINE AND WALKED THROUGH THE SECURITY SCREEN MACHINE WITHOUT INCIDENT. I WAITED FOR MY BAG; BUT THE SECURITY AGENT SAID THE MACHINE BROKE AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO HAND SEARCH THE BAGS. IN APPROX; 4-5 MINS; THE POLICE ARRIVED AND ASKED ME IF THE BAG IN THE XRAY MACHINE WAS MINE. I SAID 'YES;' AND THEN THEY ASKED ME IF I ALWAYS CARRIED A FIREARM. I SAID 'NO.' THEY THEN ASKED IF THE FIREARM WAS MINE IN THE BAG. I HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT AND TURNED TO MY WIFE AND ASKED WHAT SHE HAD PUT IN MY BAG. I THEN REMEMBERED THAT I TOOK MY FIREARM THAT I USE FOR SHARK FISHING TOURNAMENTS. I AM AN EXPERT TOURNAMENT FISHERMAN AND THIS IS PART OF OUR STANDARD EQUIP. I DO HAVE A PERMIT FOR THE STATE OF MA. AFTER EXPLAINING THE SIT TO THE POLICE LT; HE VERIFIED A PERMIT HAD BEEN ISSUED TO ME AND SAID I COULD PICK UP MY HANDGUN AT THE POLICE STATION ON MY RETURN AND I WAS FREE TO GO. HE ALSO SAID MY PERMIT NEEDED TO BE RENEWED AND THE STATION WOULD HOLD MY HANDGUN UNTIL A RENEWAL WAS ISSUED. MY WIFE AND I BOARDED THE ACFT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT AND LEFT. I FEAR THAT ALL THE PRESSURE FROM MY COMPANY TO MAKE THE MOVE WITH VERY LITTLE NOTICE AND NO TIME OFF; NO PLACE TO PARK OR PLACE MY PERSONAL BELONGINGS; LED TO THIS INCIDENT.