Secret US Airways Approach Checklist

The AP reports on the allegedly accidental discharge of the pilot's gun on board a US Airways flight on approach to Charlotte, NC. (Be sure to click on the pictures for extra fun!)

Wow, there's so much fun here I don't know where to begin. First of all, the gun was on the plane legally pilots are allowed to have guns (assuming they have had the proper training). I'm guessing the training doesn't include the part where the pilot says "hey check this out" while playing with the gun... Next, the plane was at 8000 feet on approach. Being at 8000 feet, and being "on the approach" are important, as it means the plane was in a phase of flight that requires complete and total concentration on the job at hand (flying the plane).

This is the so-called "sterile cockpit" rule -- and for US commercial flights this usually means below 10,000 feet. I'm guessing the flight crew was doing their approach checklists, and the conversation went something like this:

co-pilot: "approach localizer frequency 109.50"

pilot: "localizer 109.5 check"

co-pilot: "20 degrees flaps"

pilot: "flaps 20 degrees check"

co-pilot: "autobrake lock. please trigger"

pilot: "Glock. Squeeze trigger" <bang!>

co-pilot: "???"

or something like that.