A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested with a loaded gun at a TSA checkpoint
The incident occurred after a Transportation Security Administration officer at a security checkpoint detected a gun in the unnamed pilot's checked bag.
TSA officials notified a nearby Albany County Sheriff's Deputy who took the pilot into custody.
"Individuals who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to possible criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000," the agency said in a statement.
The 0.380 caliber pistol, which was loaded with six bullets, has been confiscated the Sheriff's department.
"This incident highlights the importance of what TSA and its dedicated security officers do each and every day in protecting the flying public," TSA's Upstate New York Federal Security Director Bart R. Johnson said in a statement. "I am grateful to the support that the Albany County Sheriff's Office provides to TSA on a daily basis."
Southwest Airlines was not immediately available for comment.
According to the TSA, the pilot's flight to Chicago Midway Airport was delayed four hours as a result of the incident.