Man gets on Phoenix Sky Harbor tarmac, slaps plane, authorities say

[alp227]

Source: Arizona Republic

Airport officials on Thursday said employees followed the correct protocol when a man ran onto the tarmac Wednesday night at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Employees in the tower saw Robert Bump, 49, climb over a barbed-wire fence at about 5:30 p.m. and run onto the tarmac and taxi-way, said Officer James Holmes, a Phoenix police spokesman.

Police were notified and the pilot of the Southwest Airlines plane waiting to approach a terminal in the taxi-way turned off the plane’s engine after officials told him about the man, Holmes said.

Bump hit the plane’s engine with his hands while walking toward the terminal, he said.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/community/phoenix/articles/20131226phoenix-airport-man-gets-tarmac-slaps-plane-sky-harbor-authorities-say-abrk.html

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Sure looks like the type who'd do it...



Oh, the TSA has some explaining to do. All that screening and this guy still got in?

[pkdu]

1. Uhmmm...barbed wire fence?...cant tag the TSA with that one.... n/t

[freshwest]

11. +1

[Earth_First]

2. So what's your suggestion?

Armed TSA agents with dogs walking the perimeter of airports? Gun turrets every 100 yards? Explosive trip wires?

The gun was certainly not of sound mind when he climbed a barbed-wire fence .

Of all the faults to blame TSA with, this certainly isn't one of them.

[JoeyT]

3. Chargers on the fences?

I'm sort of surprised they aren't there already. Nothing lethal, just something to remind you it's an area you aren't supposed to be in and to keep you from climbing it. Not that I think there was any threat: I'm more worried about some idiot running out there on a bet and getting sucked into an engine or run over than I am terrists.

But yeah, not the TSA's fault. I'm not even sure who'd be in charge of that...the airport?

[truthisfreedom]

4. Sounds like someone who really loves airplanes...

A sort of high-five?

[awoke_in_2003]

5. That's a 49 year old man?

Crack is a hell of a drug.

[longship]

6. Tarmacs are NOT safe places.

The guy is lucky. He could have gotten sucked into an jet inlet, or blown away like a leaf in the wind by the thrust.

Seems like he has some problems.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Maybe that's why the pilot turned off the engine.

The rocks in the guy's head could do damage to the impellers and other jet-enginey stuff.

[treestar]

8. More crazy people doing crazy things

LBN seems full of them this morning!

[Le Taz Hot]

9. Let's hope this poor man

gets the help and care he needs.

[Blandocyte]

10. Just challenging the metal bird to a duel. nt