An airline ground crew worker was pulled into the engine of a plane during a fatal accident at an Alabama airport, authorities said.
Around 3 pm Saturday, the aircraft was reportedly parked at a gate ‘with the parking brake set when a ground support personnel was ingested,’ according to a statement from the US National Transportation Safety Board.
The victim, whose name has yet to be released, was employed by Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, and the flight was operated by Envoy Air, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group (AAL.O).
In a statement provided to NPR, the NTSB said it had 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 National Transportation Safety Board released the additional information about the incident at the Montgomery Regional Airport.
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.”
American said in a statement it was devastated by the accident, which it confirmed involved an employee of Piedmont.
“We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” the airline said, declining further comment on the active investigation.
More details on the death will be released in a preliminary report in two to three weeks, the NTSB said.
This is not the first time a worker has been sucked into an airplane engine. Watch here as a sailor walks in front of the air intakes and got sucked inside.
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