Narrative:

Arrived at tuscon international airport, taxied to customs, cleared customs, returned to plane. Pilot and 1 passenger began walking to GA terminal through area marked 'GA parking' on FAA airport diagram 95089 (approach plates P-390, southwest-1, 30 mar 95) which is enclosed. Customs officer reappeared from building, advised 'tuscon airport authority/authorized does not allow walking in this area, and will 'intercept anyone that does.' told customs officer we were told by officer on previous recent customs inspection that this was the proper way to terminal. Attempted to contact tuscon airport authority/authorized (taa) 3 times on unicom frequency 122.95 as published. No answer. Returned to customs building to seek help, but it was locked, and no one would answer door. Decided there was no alternative but follow earlier customs officer's advice and walk through an area marked GA parking to terminal. Other 2 passenger boarded plane, 1 assuming PIC position. Halfway to terminal taa police intercepted first officer and passenger and detained them. 2ND pilot, and passenger, then walked to join 1ST pilot and police. Police never did say what had been done wrong, specifically, and said no one would be cited, but said a 'police report' would be prepared, and a copy would be 'sent to FAA.' police escorted 1 passenger to terminal, other 3 people to plane where 1ST pilot assisted 2ND pilot start plane (hand propeller), then 1ST pilot to terminal as well. 2ND pilot and other passenger departed in plane, but checked with taa on 122.95 2 more times again with no answer, which was reported to ground control with request to note it.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT POLICE DETAIN AND WRITE UP PLTS WALKING ACROSS GA PARKING AREA AT TUS ARPT.

Narrative: ARRIVED AT TUSCON INTL ARPT, TAXIED TO CUSTOMS, CLRED CUSTOMS, RETURNED TO PLANE. PLT AND 1 PAX BEGAN WALKING TO GA TERMINAL THROUGH AREA MARKED 'GA PARKING' ON FAA ARPT DIAGRAM 95089 (APCH PLATES P-390, SW-1, 30 MAR 95) WHICH IS ENCLOSED. CUSTOMS OFFICER REAPPEARED FROM BUILDING, ADVISED 'TUSCON ARPT AUTH DOES NOT ALLOW WALKING IN THIS AREA, AND WILL 'INTERCEPT ANYONE THAT DOES.' TOLD CUSTOMS OFFICER WE WERE TOLD BY OFFICER ON PREVIOUS RECENT CUSTOMS INSPECTION THAT THIS WAS THE PROPER WAY TO TERMINAL. ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT TUSCON ARPT AUTH (TAA) 3 TIMES ON UNICOM FREQ 122.95 AS PUBLISHED. NO ANSWER. RETURNED TO CUSTOMS BUILDING TO SEEK HELP, BUT IT WAS LOCKED, AND NO ONE WOULD ANSWER DOOR. DECIDED THERE WAS NO ALTERNATIVE BUT FOLLOW EARLIER CUSTOMS OFFICER'S ADVICE AND WALK THROUGH AN AREA MARKED GA PARKING TO TERMINAL. OTHER 2 PAX BOARDED PLANE, 1 ASSUMING PIC POS. HALFWAY TO TERMINAL TAA POLICE INTERCEPTED FO AND PAX AND DETAINED THEM. 2ND PLT, AND PAX, THEN WALKED TO JOIN 1ST PLT AND POLICE. POLICE NEVER DID SAY WHAT HAD BEEN DONE WRONG, SPECIFICALLY, AND SAID NO ONE WOULD BE CITED, BUT SAID A 'POLICE RPT' WOULD BE PREPARED, AND A COPY WOULD BE 'SENT TO FAA.' POLICE ESCORTED 1 PAX TO TERMINAL, OTHER 3 PEOPLE TO PLANE WHERE 1ST PLT ASSISTED 2ND PLT START PLANE (HAND PROP), THEN 1ST PLT TO TERMINAL AS WELL. 2ND PLT AND OTHER PAX DEPARTED IN PLANE, BUT CHKED WITH TAA ON 122.95 2 MORE TIMES AGAIN WITH NO ANSWER, WHICH WAS RPTED TO GND CTL WITH REQUEST TO NOTE IT.

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.