MONTGOMERY, Alabama (WSFA) – The National Transportation Safety Board has released its preliminary report on the fatal New Year’s Eve incident at Montgomery Regional Airport, involving a member of the ground crew “Swallowed in the engine” a parked plane.
The victim, since identified as Courtney Edwardsa 34-year-old mother, was part of the ramp crew for Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, when she was killed in the incident.
Courtney Edwards has been named as the victim of the fatal New Year’s Eve accident at Montgomery Regional Airport. (Donielle Prophets)
The NTSB report detailed several safety protocols that appeared not to be followed and could have protected those in the vicinity of the aircraft from injury or death. The report notes that two safety briefings were held just prior to the aircraft’s arrival, including a “huddle” just before reaching the gate to remind the crew that the engines would be running and that the aircraft would not be approached during this time should.
American Eagle Flight ENY3408 arrived at Montgomery Regional Airport from Dallas Fort Worth at approximately 2:40 p.m. after an uneventful flight, the report said. The flight crew decided to run both engines for the required two-minute “engine cool-down” period.
After the plane was stopped and the parking brake was applied, the captain gave a hand signal to connect the plane to ground power because it was not equipped with a working auxiliary power unit onboard, the report said.
As the captain began to shut down the right side engine, a warning in the cockpit indicated that the forward cargo door had been opened and prompted the aircraft’s first officer to open his cockpit window to notify the ramp agent that that the engines were still running.
Shortly thereafter, the captain saw “a warning light illuminate and the aircraft shake violently, followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of engine number 1,” which was located on the aircraft’s left wing.
The NTSB report notes that the sequence of the accident was captured on surveillance video. Camera recorded four ramp agents during the incident, including one who “appeared to walk to the back of the plane with an orange safety cone, where she disappeared from view.”
Part of the account describing the victim’s final moments notes:
“The Ramp Agent reappeared from the rear of the aircraft and began walking away from the aircraft and toward the left wingtip, where it disappeared from camera view. The marshaller could be seen retreating from the open forward cargo door of the plane and the ramp agent reappeared from the rear of the plane walking along the leading edge of the left wing and directly in front of the number one engine. She was then yanked from her legs and pulled into the running engine.”
The video also showed another missed safety protocol for staying behind while the aircraft’s beacons were still lit.
“Throughout the course of the accident, the aircraft’s upper beacon appeared to be illuminated,” the report explained.
No date was given when a final report would be published. The NTSB provided a reading of the airline’s operations manual as part of its investigation, which found that:
The American Eagle Ground Operations Manual, Revision 3, dated July 13, 2022, states in part:
“To keep employees alive and aircraft intact, you will:
NEVER Approaching an aircraft to position ground equipment adjacent to an aircraft or open cargo container doors until the engines are shut off and the rotating beacon(s) are off, except when performing an authorized turn using one engine.
Jetblast/ingestion zones
Jet engines spin at high speeds and are extremely dangerous until they are spooled down. The area in front of the engine is called the intake zone. The pickup zone for all aircraft types is 15 feet. You must never enter the intake area before the engine has shut down.
unwind
The engine must be shut down before entering the intake area. Depending on the type of aircraft, this can take between 30 and 60 seconds. This applies to both wing and fuselage/tail mount engines. You have to wait until you can see each fan blade clearly before entering the intake zone.”
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