Police cited a 61-year-old Dunbar man Wednesday after he reportedly brought a loaded handgun into Yeager Airport.
Mark Simpson packed the handgun - loaded with six cartridges - and a box of 14 more cartridges in his carry-on luggage, according to a news release by airport spokesman Mike Plante.
At about 3 p.m., police confiscated the gun and ammunition after personnel with the Transportation Security Administration found the items in his carry-on luggage.
Simpson's gun is the third to be confiscated at the airport this year, according to the release.
"We strongly urge all travelers to pay heed to the signage in the airport regarding firearms and double check their carry on baggage before attempting to pass through the security check point," said Chief Joe Crawford, of the airport police, in a written statement.
Simpson reportedly told police he forget the loaded gun was in the luggage, according to a news release from the TSA.
Passengers who bring a gun to airport security checkpoints could face criminal charges and a fine of up to $12,000, the release states.
"Weapons - including firearms, firearm parts and ammunition - are not permitted in carry-on bags, but can be transported in checked bags if they are unloaded, properly packed and declared to the airline," TSA spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said in a prepared statement.
Reach Giuseppe Sabella at giuseppe.sabella@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or @Gsabella on Twitter.