An airline worker died after being 'ingested into the engine' of a plane, NTSB says - At least it wasn't Southwest

An airline ground crew worker in Alabama died after being "ingested into the engine" of a parked plane on Saturday, said the National Transportation Safety Board.

In a statement provided to NPR, the NTSB said it has opened an investigation into the death. The incident involved an Embraer 170 aircraft, a medium-range jet that can hold about 70 passengers, which had flown from Dallas Fort-Worth to the Montgomery Regional Airport.

The victim, whose name has yet to be released, was employed by Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines that operates at more than 80 airports. Neither company responded to NPR's request for comment.

"We are saddened to hear about the tragic loss of a team member of the AA/Piedmont Airlines," said Wade A. Davis, the airport's executive director. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time."

The airport grounded all flights for five hours after the incident, which occurred around 3 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

People briefed on the matter told Reuters that the engine was running at the time of the incident. The NTSB confirmed the parking brake on the aircraft was also set.

More details on the death will be released in a preliminary report in two to three weeks, the NTSB said.

Article / Archive

 

[neverendingmidi]

I'll always remember the safety video in the US Navy about being aware of your surroundings. Had a guy rigging an aircraft to a catapult, and he stood up in just the wrong area, and a split second later he was gone and the engine was exploding. And that was the much smaller jet engines on a fighter jet. The video came from a security video of the flight deck.

I wonder if it was a training issue or a respect issue. i.e. did he have the training to know where he should've been or was that neglected because "fuck training that's expensive" mentality of corporate? Or was he an old hand who'd done this for a while and forgot to respect the forces involved at the wrong time?

 

[Kheapathic]

There isn't shit to bury; you might find a few bone fragments, but that's it.

"Did you recover the body?" - "Nothing identifiable."

 

[Nick Gars]

As crazy as it is I can think of so many worse deaths. There is no way he didn't instantly die, he probably didn't have even a second to think about what was about to happen. One moment he was alive, the next he was gone.

My thoughts exactly. If you're gonna go out in a freak accident, pray it's something as quick as getting pureed by a plane turbine.

 

[CarlosDanger]

Poor bastard, Rest in Piece(s).

 

[Spicey McHaggis]

I wonder if it was a training issue or a respect issue. i.e. did he have the training to know where he should've been or was that neglected because "fuck training that's expensive" mentality of corporate? Or was he an old hand who'd done this for a while and forgot to respect the forces involved at the wrong time?

The quality of people being hired has also gone down. You can train a dipshit all you want, but some people just won't listen.

 

[Sparkletor 2.0]

People briefed on the matter told Reuters that the engine was running at the time of the incident.

No shit. You don't get sucked into a jet engine that isn't running.

 

[Cpl. Long Dong Silver]

Man I hope some CCTV footage drops

 

[Archie_Kimkicker]

Planes look hungry, but they are on a special diet, so do not feed them!

I'll always remember the safety video in the US Navy about being aware of your surroundings. Had a guy rigging an aircraft to a catapult, and he stood up in just the wrong area, and a split second later he was gone and the engine was exploding. And that was the much smaller jet engines on a fighter jet. The video came from a security video of the flight deck.

I wonder if it was a training issue or a respect issue. i.e. did he have the training to know where he should've been or was that neglected because "fuck training that's expensive" mentality of corporate? Or was he an old hand who'd done this for a while and forgot to respect the forces involved at the wrong time?

He actually survived.

 

[Zero Day Defense]

I blame the jab.

A&N when people die from any cause:
"Must be the vax!"

A&N when crime happens, anywhere at all:

 

[neverendingmidi]

He actually survived.

That sonuvabitch will never get a winning lottery ticket, because he used up his entire life's worth of luck in that incident.

 

[JosephStalin]

Yeahhh except this trashes the jet engine so your looking at potentially million dollar expenses each time.

Indeed. Budget isn't an issue; can't say much more but we have ample support available. Nevertheless, the jet-engine thing isn't our style. Nothing like a nice ride; lets the passengers think about things, heh, heh.

 

[TowinKarz]

He actually survived.

Yeah, He was incredibly lucky.

They'd have pulled out a headless corpse if the engine hadn't eaten his helmet and vest first.

 

[Vargerd]

I've worked at an airport for over 20 years around everything from small prop planes to various incarnations of the 747. my best guess would be aircraft mechanics needing to fire up the engines of the aircraft for a maintenance check. even then though, aircraft with engines starting or on are fucking hard to miss. there is a giant red beacon on the underside of the plane fairly centrally located that will be blinking pretty brightly and aircraft engines are damn loud when you're near them on the ground. barring the obvious sight and hearing issues you can just feel an active jet engine from a decent ways away. even when you're a ways off you can feel the air pressure isn't natural, even when standing off to the side.

Either this person was like warm temperature iq at best, wanted to end it spectacularly, or something really lucky happened.

 

[Burd Turglar]

A&N when people die from any cause:
"Must be the vax!"

A&N when crime happens, anywhere at all:
View attachment 4188442

I bet you're a real hoot at parties and no joke, no matter how lazy and gay it is, will ever go over your head.

 

[Zero Day Defense]

I bet you're a real hoot at parties and no joke, no matter how lazy and gay it is, will ever go over your head.

I know you were making a joke.

I was making a joke, too.

It even rhymed...

 

[Lady Round Buns]

Don't even bother with MSM reporting on aviation related matters. Journos seem to be almost deliberately ignorant on all things aviation. I swear the average janitor probably knows more about airplanes than the average journo. https://avherald.com/h?article=50320e92&opt=0

'A fellow ground worker witnessing the accident confirmed the baggage handler was ingested by one of the engines of the aircraft.

The family of the baggage handler reported the ground worker involved was a wife and mother of three.'


Am I reading this right? It was a lady that got eaten by the engine? A mom, too. Sucks. I wonder if she was just not paying attention or what.

 

[Retink Retunk]

What has this world come to now that even jet engines are joining the Canadian healthcare system?

 

[Otterly]

I’m curious as to how this happened - Are the engines running like that when the baggage handlers are working? I’m fairly clueless about airports in general but just from recollection the engines are off aren’t they until you start the whole ‘everyone’s out the way cabin crew doors to whatever’ shit? I do t ever recall seeing engine blades turning when getting on or off a plane, Horrific way to go and probably worse to be a witness to it or deal with the aftermath.

 

[The NSA]

“Ingested into an engine”. What strange phrasing. Jet engines don’t eat, it sounds more violent and macabre than “sucked into an engine”. Liz Fong Jones must be writing press releases for airlines, that’s as bad as consent accident.

 

[Cloaca Rimjob]

Target eliminated 47. Now make your way to the nearest exit