Pilot Arrested After Discovery of Loaded Gun in Carry-On

A pilot was arrested at a Florida airport after his loaded gun was found in a carry-on bag.

• By Sydny Shepard
• Oct 30, 2018

Authorities in Florida report the arrest of an airline pilot after a loaded gun was found in his carry-on. The pilot, a 54-year-old man, who worked for Sun County Airlines was arrested when the Transportation Security Administration found a loaded pistol in his suitcase during screening.

The News-Press identified Brian Andrew Machtemes of Minnetonka, Minn. as the arrested pilot. He was taken into custody at Southwest Florida International Airport. A Lee County Port Authority report says Machtemes had a permit to carry the gun in Minnesota, but the permit was not valid in Florida.

Airline spokesperson Kristen Wenker confirmed Machtemes is a pilot, but declined further common for privacy reasons.

The TSA allows unloaded firearms locked in containers only as checked baggage. The firearm and its ammunition must be declared at the time the traveler is checking the baggage. 

For several years, the TSA has reported finding record numbers of firearms at airport checkpoints as both the number of people flying and the number of people legally carrying firearms have increased. In just 2017 alone, the TSA levied 4,000 civil penalties totaling $1.4 million against travelers who violated firearms regulations at airports around the country.