Narrative:

After completing all flts for the day, we closed up the aircraft and went off duty. After we left, an FAA inspector requested and was given access to the ramp area by gate personnel at msy airport. He went to our aircraft and was able to open the entrance since we have no keys to lock it, and fined the company for security violation. He also requested the pilot's names and was going to file a violation against us. If there are FAA regulations for pilots that stipulate required pilot security actions in scheduled passenger service, these regulations need to be well publicized and available to pilots. No one in the company knew about pilot requirements for security and keys to lock the aircraft are not even available. Please get this word out if it is indeed a pilot responsibility. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: FAA contacted vp operations asking for names of flight crew in order to violate them. Flight operations refused to give FAA names of crew. Reporter said there is a keyhole on the handle of the cabin door but that there are no keys issued to flcs. Also, there is nothing in their manuals saying that they are supposed to lock the aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAA FINED ACR AND THREATENED TO VIOLATE FLC FOR NOT LOCKING ACFT PARKED ON THE RAMP AT MSY.

Narrative: AFTER COMPLETING ALL FLTS FOR THE DAY, WE CLOSED UP THE ACFT AND WENT OFF DUTY. AFTER WE LEFT, AN FAA INSPECTOR REQUESTED AND WAS GIVEN ACCESS TO THE RAMP AREA BY GATE PERSONNEL AT MSY ARPT. HE WENT TO OUR ACFT AND WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE ENTRANCE SINCE WE HAVE NO KEYS TO LOCK IT, AND FINED THE COMPANY FOR SECURITY VIOLATION. HE ALSO REQUESTED THE PLT'S NAMES AND WAS GOING TO FILE A VIOLATION AGAINST US. IF THERE ARE FAA REGS FOR PLTS THAT STIPULATE REQUIRED PLT SECURITY ACTIONS IN SCHEDULED PAX SVC, THESE REGS NEED TO BE WELL PUBLICIZED AND AVAILABLE TO PLTS. NO ONE IN THE COMPANY KNEW ABOUT PLT REQUIREMENTS FOR SECURITY AND KEYS TO LOCK THE ACFT ARE NOT EVEN AVAILABLE. PLEASE GET THIS WORD OUT IF IT IS INDEED A PLT RESPONSIBILITY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FAA CONTACTED VP OPS ASKING FOR NAMES OF FLC IN ORDER TO VIOLATE THEM. FLT OPS REFUSED TO GIVE FAA NAMES OF CREW. RPTR SAID THERE IS A KEYHOLE ON THE HANDLE OF THE CABIN DOOR BUT THAT THERE ARE NO KEYS ISSUED TO FLCS. ALSO, THERE IS NOTHING IN THEIR MANUALS SAYING THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO LOCK THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.