A Putnam County man was caught trying to bring a loaded gun through the Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Yeager Airport Wednesday.
Vernon Wysong, 77, of Hurricane, was cited after TSA officers found a .38-caliber handgun with four bullets in the man's carry-on bag as he was passing through the checkpoint.
Mike Plante, Yeager Airport spokesman, said it appeared that Wysong had forgotten the gun was inside of his bag.
Firearms are only allowed if they are packaged for checked baggage and properly declared. According to the TSA, firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed separately from ammunition.
Plante said incidents like this happen from time to time, but signs are posted on the front on terminal doors stating firearms are not allowed in the terminal.
Passengers who bring firearms to TSA checkpoints are subject to criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA up to $11,000, according to TSA.