FLT CREW FAILED TO PASS THROUGH ARPT SCREENING BEFORE ENTERING THE RAMP AREA.

Date: 1988-09

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far

Synopsis

FLT CREW FAILED TO PASS THROUGH ARPT SCREENING BEFORE ENTERING THE RAMP AREA.

Narrative

ON 9/SAT/88 THE CAPT AN MYSELF WERE ARRIVING AT THE BGM ARPT FOR FLT DUTY (OUR FIRST FLT OF THE DAY). ENTERED THE TERMINAL. WALKED TO OUR TICKET COUNTER AND WENT BEHIND IT TO OUR OPS AREA. THE CAPT EXAMINED THE FLT RELEASE AS I CHKED IN (3 STATION AGENTS WERE ALSO IN THE OPS OFFICE). I PROCEEDED OUT OF OPS AND ONTO THE RAMP AREA TO OUR ACFT TO BEGIN THE PREFLT. I HAD MY IDENT ATTACHED TO MY OUTERMOST GARMENT AS I ALWAYS DO WHILE I AM ON THE ARPT PROPERTY (THAT MEANS THE MINUTE I STEPPED OUT OF THE VAN) AND WHILE DOING THE PREFLT. THE CAPT ENTERED THE ACFT AND FLT DECK TO PERFORM HIS DUTIES. SHORTLY THEREAFTER A MAN ENTERED THE ACFT SAYING; 'YOU'RE NOT UNDER ARREST; BUT.' HE WAS LATER IDENTIFIED AS AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR FROM THE FSDO AT DULLES. HE WAS QUITE RUDE ACCUSING US OF BLATANT DISRESPECT FOR THE LAW RE: SECURITY SCREENING PROCS. ONLY THEN DID HE CLARIFY HIS INTENTIONS. BASICALLY HE STATED THAT ALL PLTS MUST GO THROUGH ARPT SECURITY SCREENING BEFORE ENTERING THE RAMP. IT MUST BE NOTED THAT I PASSED AND SAID HELLO TWICE TO THIS MAN FROM THE TIME I LEFT OUR OPS TO THE TIME HE CONFRONTED US. I NOTICED HIS IDENT; AND DID NOT CONSIDER HIM A SECURITY THREAT; BUT I QUESTION HIS ENFORCEMENT OF SECURITY (OR AS AN AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR) PROCS IN THAT; WHY DID HE ALLOW 2 PEOPLE ONTO THE RAMP AND ALLOW ME (DOING THE PREFLT; LOOKING AND REACHING INTO CARGO BINS AND WHEEL WELLS) TO GET SO CLOSE TO AN ACFT KNOWING WE DIDN'T PASS THROUGH SCREENING. HE INFORMED US THAT A RPT WOULD BE FILED AND WE MAY BE FINED AND VIOLATED. WE BROUGHT UP MANY OTHER INSTANCES WHERE PLTS AND F/A'S USE THE SAME PROC WHICH WE'VE ALWAYS USED AT BGM. I BROUGHT UP A SITUATION ABOUT 2 WKS AGO AT UCA WHERE 2 PLTS AND 2 F/A'S ATTEMPTED TO PASS THROUGH SECURITY SCREENING AND WERE FLAT OUT TOLD THAT IT WAS UNNECESSARY; TO JUST GO THROUGH OUR OPS TO GET ONTO THE RAMP. ALSO; NO PROC IS LISTED IN OUR COMPANY'S MANUALS A) OPS POLICY AND PROC SECTION OR B) FAR SECTION 108 ON CREW MEMBER SECURITY SCREENING PROCS. I COULD NOT FIND GUIDELINES IN ANY OF OUR AIRLINE DOCUMENTS WHICH I CARRY IN MY FLT CASE. MY IMPRESSION WAS ALWAYS THAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL HAD THEIR IDENT CLEARLY DISPLAYED THEY WERE OK TO BE ON THE RAMP. SPECIFICALLY; IF THEY DIDN'T INTENTIONALLY AVOID A SECURITY SCREENING CHKPOINT THROUGH NORMAL WORK RELATED PATTERNS. I HAVE NO PROB WITH USING SECURITY SCREENING AS AN AIRLINE EMPLOYEE. LET'S CLARIFY THE PROCS FOR NOT ONLY PLTS AND RAMP AGENTS; BUT ALSO FOR ARPT EMPLOYEES AND FAA PERSONNEL.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.