US Airport Worker: Officials confirmed Sunday that an American Airlines airplane parked at the gate “ingested” a ground worker at a rural airport in Alabama over the weekend, resulting in his death.
According to a statement from the National Transportation Safety Board to Insider, the Embraer 170 had its parking brake set when the worker was sucked into the engine at 3 p.m. on Saturday at Montgomery Regional Airport.
Envoy Air, an entirely owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group, ran the trip out of Dallas.
The airport provided only the information that the victim was employed by Piedmont Airlines, another minor airline operated by America.
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The executive director of the airport, Wade Davis, said, “We are heartbroken to learn about the unfortunate loss of a team member of the AA/Piedmont Airlines.”
“During this trying time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” he continued.
American Airlines expressed its devastation at the occurrence in a statement.
The corporation added, denying additional comment while the inquiry is ongoing, “We are committed to ensuring that all affected receive the support they need during this difficult time.”
The NTSB and the Federal Aviation Administration are carrying out the investigation.
When a jet engine runs, the air being drawn into the intake can create a low air pressure environment that can draw persons in the immediate vicinity into the rotating blades.
According to High Sky Flying, cones delineate the hazard areas when the aircraft is parked. The sizes of the cones are specified in the aircraft’s operating manual.
According to the website, the hazard area for an Airbus A320 is 14 feet in front of and on either side of the engine inlet.
Because they are informed about the risks and how to avoid them, ground workers are rarely drawn into engines.