Narrative:

I am a first officer for airline flying large transport aircraft. On the night of 7/sun/88 I was in slc to fly flight to den and atl. In my suitcase I had my required tool kit (pliers, screwdriver, swiss army knife). I, with my crew, went through the security area. They (security) wanted me to open my suitcase. I told them I had my tools which included a knife in it. When I opened the suitcase one of the security people tried to reach into and take out my personal effects. I told her that I would take out the things out, that she didn't need to dig through my things. I took out my pliers and screwdriver and showed them. She again tried to reach into the suitcase at which time I told her not to, that I would get the items out. I told her if she wanted to get a search warrant, she could dig through the suitcase. At this point she called a man over. He tripped to get into the suitcase and I said no, that I would get the items out and he could get a warrant if he wanted to go through my personal effects. At this point, he said he was going to call a supervisor. I told him that would be fine. While he was trying to phone, the captain tried to talk to him. After a brief conversation between the 2 of them (I didn't hear anything they said to each other), the captain came over to me and told me to go to the airplane through the non public access route. I said ok, and put my things back in my suitcase and proceeded to the aircraft. The security personnel sent one of their people to follow me to the airplane. I performed my normal duties as first officer and the flight departed on schedule. I have since learned that the lady that followed me to the airport filed a report that I gave her a false name. She also reported that I gave her permission to search my suitcase while I was doing the aircraft preflight and while doing so found a 'large' survival knife. All such statements are completely untrue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW MEMBER REFUSED TO LET SECURITY PERSONNEL SEARCH BAGGAGE.

Narrative: I AM A F/O FOR AIRLINE FLYING LGT ACFT. ON THE NIGHT OF 7/SUN/88 I WAS IN SLC TO FLY FLT TO DEN AND ATL. IN MY SUITCASE I HAD MY REQUIRED TOOL KIT (PLIERS, SCREWDRIVER, SWISS ARMY KNIFE). I, WITH MY CREW, WENT THROUGH THE SECURITY AREA. THEY (SECURITY) WANTED ME TO OPEN MY SUITCASE. I TOLD THEM I HAD MY TOOLS WHICH INCLUDED A KNIFE IN IT. WHEN I OPENED THE SUITCASE ONE OF THE SECURITY PEOPLE TRIED TO REACH INTO AND TAKE OUT MY PERSONAL EFFECTS. I TOLD HER THAT I WOULD TAKE OUT THE THINGS OUT, THAT SHE DIDN'T NEED TO DIG THROUGH MY THINGS. I TOOK OUT MY PLIERS AND SCREWDRIVER AND SHOWED THEM. SHE AGAIN TRIED TO REACH INTO THE SUITCASE AT WHICH TIME I TOLD HER NOT TO, THAT I WOULD GET THE ITEMS OUT. I TOLD HER IF SHE WANTED TO GET A SEARCH WARRANT, SHE COULD DIG THROUGH THE SUITCASE. AT THIS POINT SHE CALLED A MAN OVER. HE TRIPPED TO GET INTO THE SUITCASE AND I SAID NO, THAT I WOULD GET THE ITEMS OUT AND HE COULD GET A WARRANT IF HE WANTED TO GO THROUGH MY PERSONAL EFFECTS. AT THIS POINT, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO CALL A SUPVR. I TOLD HIM THAT WOULD BE FINE. WHILE HE WAS TRYING TO PHONE, THE CAPT TRIED TO TALK TO HIM. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION BTWN THE 2 OF THEM (I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING THEY SAID TO EACH OTHER), THE CAPT CAME OVER TO ME AND TOLD ME TO GO TO THE AIRPLANE THROUGH THE NON PUBLIC ACCESS ROUTE. I SAID OK, AND PUT MY THINGS BACK IN MY SUITCASE AND PROCEEDED TO THE ACFT. THE SECURITY PERSONNEL SENT ONE OF THEIR PEOPLE TO FOLLOW ME TO THE AIRPLANE. I PERFORMED MY NORMAL DUTIES AS F/O AND THE FLT DEPARTED ON SCHEDULE. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THE LADY THAT FOLLOWED ME TO THE ARPT FILED A RPT THAT I GAVE HER A FALSE NAME. SHE ALSO RPTED THAT I GAVE HER PERMISSION TO SEARCH MY SUITCASE WHILE I WAS DOING THE ACFT PREFLT AND WHILE DOING SO FOUND A 'LARGE' SURVIVAL KNIFE. ALL SUCH STATEMENTS ARE COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.