- An airline worker was “taken” into the engine of a plane on Saturday, the NTSB said.
- American Airlines confirmed that one of its employees died in an accident at Montgomery Regional Airport.
- The worker died while the plane was parked and one of its engines was running, Portal reported.
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An airline ground crew member died Saturday after being “picked up in the engine” in Alabama, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said.
The worker was “sucked into” the plane’s engine while an American Airlines Embraer 170 was parked at the gate with the parking brake on at Montgomery Regional Airport, the NTSB said in a statement to Insiders Sunday.
The agency said it had launched an investigation into the accident. “A preliminary report is expected in two to three weeks,” the statement said.
Montgomery Regional Airport said Saturday a fatal accident occurred around 3 p.m. and the worker was employed by Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines Group.
“We are saddened by the tragic loss of a team member at AA/Piedmont Airlines,” said Wade A. Davis, the airport’s general manager. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.”
American Airlines confirmed the Piedmont worker’s death in a statement to Insider, saying he was “devastated by the accident.”
“We are focused on making sure everyone involved has the support they need during this difficult time,” the statement said.
The person died while one of the plane’s engines was running, Portal reported, citing two people briefed on the findings of the initial investigation.
January 2, 2023: This article was updated to reflect comment from the National Transportation Safety Board.