>>They didn't interview the passengers (or at least I couldn't find where they had), but this sure would have scared me:
>>
>>http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-032308-sjf-gunonplane.1c4cabd1.html
>>
>>Granted, it was an accidental discharge and no one was hurt but can you imagine being on that flight?
>
>I wonder how they can say with such certainty that there was never any danger? I mean the bullet could have gone through the windshield, through a bundle of critical control wires, into a fuel tank, etc.


It would have to be an extremely unlucky shot for it to really endanger the aircraft.

Jet fuel is almost the same as diesel fuel - it takes a serious heat source to make it cook off. A pistol bullet wouldn't do it.

A single bullet hole in the pressure cabin would make a LOT of noise and scare heck out of the passengers but would not cause the cabin to rupture (bombs cause massive cracks and failure). The pressurization system would be able to compensate easily for a small hole.

Electrical systems are redundant. Control systems are redundant. Avionics are redundant.

You can bet the pilot that had the gun won't ever live it down though.