NTSB: Airline worker ‘ingested into’ plane engine at Texas airport
Officials are investigating the death of an airline ground crew member, who was reportedly caught in a plane engine.
(KENS, Michael Braun via CNN)
By KENS Staff
Published: Jun. 25, 2023
SAN ANTONIO (KENS) - Officials are investigating the death of an airline ground crew member, who was reportedly caught in a plane engine, at the San Antonio International Airport.
As tourist Michael Braun entered a San Antonio airport terminal Saturday morning, it was clear something was very wrong. There was a hazmat crew coming onto the tarmac and a tarp covering something under a plane.
“When I first got there, the entire area inside the terminal where the gates were was in turmoil,” Braun said. “There was a large, gray-blackish tarp. Generally, in those kind of cases, there’s a body underneath it.”
The National Transportation Safety Board says Delta Air Lines flight 1111 was taxiing to its gate around 10:25 p.m. Friday night when an airline ground crew member somehow went into the plane’s engine.
Braun said that was shielded from view as well.
“I could see the plane sitting there and the tarp sitting there and a big cover over the engine,” he said.
The incident happened after the flight arrived from Los Angeles.
Delta says the worker was employed by subcontractor Unifi Aviation. Both companies released statements following the incident.
“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” Delta’s statement read.
The company also said it was supporting ongoing investigations.
Unifi said in its statement that an initial investigation determined the incident was unrelated to the company’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies.
The NTSB says it has been in contact with Delta, and they are in the information gathering process.
Copyright 2023 KENS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
Published: Jun. 25, 2023
SAN ANTONIO (KENS) - Officials are investigating the death of an airline ground crew member, who was reportedly caught in a plane engine, at the San Antonio International Airport.
As tourist Michael Braun entered a San Antonio airport terminal Saturday morning, it was clear something was very wrong. There was a hazmat crew coming onto the tarmac and a tarp covering something under a plane.
“When I first got there, the entire area inside the terminal where the gates were was in turmoil,” Braun said. “There was a large, gray-blackish tarp. Generally, in those kind of cases, there’s a body underneath it.”
The National Transportation Safety Board says Delta Air Lines flight 1111 was taxiing to its gate around 10:25 p.m. Friday night when an airline ground crew member somehow went into the plane’s engine.
Braun said that was shielded from view as well.
“I could see the plane sitting there and the tarp sitting there and a big cover over the engine,” he said.
The incident happened after the flight arrived from Los Angeles.
Delta says the worker was employed by subcontractor Unifi Aviation. Both companies released statements following the incident.
“We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time,” Delta’s statement read.
The company also said it was supporting ongoing investigations.
Unifi said in its statement that an initial investigation determined the incident was unrelated to the company’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies.
The NTSB says it has been in contact with Delta, and they are in the information gathering process.
Copyright 2023 KENS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
Airline ground crew member killed by engine of a jet at San Antonio International Airport
Story by KENS 5 Staff (KENS 5) • Yesterday
KENS-TV San Antonio
San Antonio International Airport officials are investigating after the death of an airline ground crew member.
Firefighters and police officers responded to the incident at around 10:25 p.m. Friday night.
The NTSB said Saturday the worker went into the engine of a Delta Airlines jet.
"Delta Flight 1111 was taxiing to the gate, with one engine on at that time, and a worker was ingested into that engine at 10:25 p.m," the NTSB said in a statement. "The NTSB has been in contact with Delta. They are in the information gathering process at this point."
The flight had just arrived from Los Angeles at the time.
KENS 5 has learned the worker was employed by a company that Delta Airlines contracts with to support ground handling operations. The airline said Saturday morning it was full supporting ongoing investigations. The company released the following statement.
"We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time."
Also on Saturday, San Antonio airport officials released the following statement:
"An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member. We are deeply saddened by this incident and are working with authorities as they begin their investigation. We will share more information as details become available."
On Saturday afternoon Unifi Aviation released the following statement:
"Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023. Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.
From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies. Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details."
Story by KENS 5 Staff (KENS 5) • Yesterday
KENS-TV San Antonio
Federal and local teams investigating a man's death at the SA airportDuration 1:44 View on Watch
San Antonio International Airport officials are investigating after the death of an airline ground crew member.
Firefighters and police officers responded to the incident at around 10:25 p.m. Friday night.
The NTSB said Saturday the worker went into the engine of a Delta Airlines jet.
"Delta Flight 1111 was taxiing to the gate, with one engine on at that time, and a worker was ingested into that engine at 10:25 p.m," the NTSB said in a statement. "The NTSB has been in contact with Delta. They are in the information gathering process at this point."
The flight had just arrived from Los Angeles at the time.
KENS 5 has learned the worker was employed by a company that Delta Airlines contracts with to support ground handling operations. The airline said Saturday morning it was full supporting ongoing investigations. The company released the following statement.
"We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time."
Also on Saturday, San Antonio airport officials released the following statement:
"An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport (SAT) tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member. We are deeply saddened by this incident and are working with authorities as they begin their investigation. We will share more information as details become available."
On Saturday afternoon Unifi Aviation released the following statement:
"Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023. Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.
From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies. Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details."
Another Ground Worker Ingested and Killed In a Jet Engine in San Antonio
Airport worker killed after being sucked into an engine on the tarmac in San Antonio
BY SOUHAIB
June 25, 2023
An airport worker who was contracted to Delta was killed after being sucked into an engine on the tarmac of San Antonio International Airport.
Emergency services responded to the incident at around 10.25pm on Friday night.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the airline ground crew member died after they went into the engine of a Delta Airlines aircraft. The agency described the worker as being ‘ingested’ into the engine.
The plane had just arrived from Los Angeles and was taxying to a gate at the time of the accident.
Delta Flight 1111 had just one engine on at the time when the worker, who is yet to be identified, was sucked in and killed.
Emergency personnel on the tarmac after a worker sucked into the engine of Delta plane in San Antonio
The plane remained at the gate the next morning and flights in the airport were delayed.
The death of the airline ground crew member is being investigated by authorities.
‘Delta Flight 1111 was taxying to the gate, with one engine on at that time, and a worker was ingested into that engine at 10.25pm,’ the NTSB said in a statement.
‘The NTSB has been in contact with Delta. They are in the information gathering process at this point.’
The employee worked for a company that Delta Airlines has contracts with in order to support ground handling operations.
It released a statement on Saturday which read: ‘We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio.
‘Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.’
San Antonio airport officials said they were ‘saddened’ by the worker’s death.
‘An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member,’ it said.
‘We are deeply saddened by this incident and are working with authorities as they begin their investigation. We will share more information as details become available.’
The worker’s employee Unifi Aviation said the ‘tragic incident’ was unrelated to its safety procedures.
‘Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023,’ it said in a statement.
Emergency services responded to the incident at around 10.25pm on Friday night
The death of the airline ground crew member is being investigated by authorities
‘Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.
‘From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies.
‘Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details.’
This is the latest incident to occur on the ground at a US airport over the past year.
A subsidiary of American Airlines was fined $15,000 over the death of a ground crew worker who was sucked into the engine of one its planes.
Courtney Edwards, 34, was ‘ingested into the engine’ at Montgomery Regional Airport, Alabama, on New Year’s Eve.
The mother of three was on the ramp where American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175, was parked before she died.
Piedmont Airlines was fined by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration after it was found responsible for a safety breach that led to her death.
Her union released a statement which said Piedmont Airlines was ruled to be ‘guilty of a serious breach’.
An American Airlines subsidy is facing a $15,000 fine after Courtney Edwards, an airline worker, died when she was so violently ‘ingested’ into the engine of a landed plane it shook the entire aircraft
Edwards worked as a ground agent for Piedmont Airlines
An obituary for Edwards mentions that she is survived by her three children
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 14 in which a plane trying to land came within just 200 feet of another flight preparing to take off.
Authorities say an American Airlines flight was arriving at the airport from Dallas, Texas at around 6.30pm Wednesday at the same time a Delta flight headed for Santa Ana, California was preparing for takeoff.
Air traffic controllers could be heard in a recording of the incident telling the pilot of American Airlines flight 2406 to cancel its landing and go around the 30 left runway because Delta Air Lines flight 1163, which had been cleared to land, was still on the runway.
But after the controller told the American Airlines pilot to ‘go around,’ the aircraft passed above and to the left of the Delta Airbus A220 — coming within just 200 feet vertically and 850 horizontally from each other.
The incident marks at least the fifth time this year that two planes just missed each other at American airports — and came just two days before a United Airlines plane backed into a Delta flight at Boston’s Logan airport.
BY SOUHAIB
June 25, 2023
An airport worker who was contracted to Delta was killed after being sucked into an engine on the tarmac of San Antonio International Airport.
Emergency services responded to the incident at around 10.25pm on Friday night.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the airline ground crew member died after they went into the engine of a Delta Airlines aircraft. The agency described the worker as being ‘ingested’ into the engine.
The plane had just arrived from Los Angeles and was taxying to a gate at the time of the accident.
Delta Flight 1111 had just one engine on at the time when the worker, who is yet to be identified, was sucked in and killed.
Emergency personnel on the tarmac after a worker sucked into the engine of Delta plane in San Antonio
The plane remained at the gate the next morning and flights in the airport were delayed.
The death of the airline ground crew member is being investigated by authorities.
‘Delta Flight 1111 was taxying to the gate, with one engine on at that time, and a worker was ingested into that engine at 10.25pm,’ the NTSB said in a statement.
‘The NTSB has been in contact with Delta. They are in the information gathering process at this point.’
The employee worked for a company that Delta Airlines has contracts with in order to support ground handling operations.
It released a statement on Saturday which read: ‘We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio.
‘Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time.’
San Antonio airport officials said they were ‘saddened’ by the worker’s death.
‘An accident occurred on the ground at San Antonio International Airport tonight that resulted in the fatality of an airline ground crew member,’ it said.
‘We are deeply saddened by this incident and are working with authorities as they begin their investigation. We will share more information as details become available.’
The worker’s employee Unifi Aviation said the ‘tragic incident’ was unrelated to its safety procedures.
‘Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023,’ it said in a statement.
Emergency services responded to the incident at around 10.25pm on Friday night
The death of the airline ground crew member is being investigated by authorities
‘Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time.
‘From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures and policies.
‘Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details.’
This is the latest incident to occur on the ground at a US airport over the past year.
A subsidiary of American Airlines was fined $15,000 over the death of a ground crew worker who was sucked into the engine of one its planes.
Courtney Edwards, 34, was ‘ingested into the engine’ at Montgomery Regional Airport, Alabama, on New Year’s Eve.
The mother of three was on the ramp where American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175, was parked before she died.
Piedmont Airlines was fined by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration after it was found responsible for a safety breach that led to her death.
Her union released a statement which said Piedmont Airlines was ruled to be ‘guilty of a serious breach’.
An American Airlines subsidy is facing a $15,000 fine after Courtney Edwards, an airline worker, died when she was so violently ‘ingested’ into the engine of a landed plane it shook the entire aircraft
Edwards worked as a ground agent for Piedmont Airlines
An obituary for Edwards mentions that she is survived by her three children
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a close call at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on June 14 in which a plane trying to land came within just 200 feet of another flight preparing to take off.
Authorities say an American Airlines flight was arriving at the airport from Dallas, Texas at around 6.30pm Wednesday at the same time a Delta flight headed for Santa Ana, California was preparing for takeoff.
Air traffic controllers could be heard in a recording of the incident telling the pilot of American Airlines flight 2406 to cancel its landing and go around the 30 left runway because Delta Air Lines flight 1163, which had been cleared to land, was still on the runway.
But after the controller told the American Airlines pilot to ‘go around,’ the aircraft passed above and to the left of the Delta Airbus A220 — coming within just 200 feet vertically and 850 horizontally from each other.
The incident marks at least the fifth time this year that two planes just missed each other at American airports — and came just two days before a United Airlines plane backed into a Delta flight at Boston’s Logan airport.
OSHA fines American Airlines subsidiary $15k after worker gets sucked into plane engine, dies
Landon Mion
FOX NEWS
Tue, June 20, 2023
An airline has been fined $15,625 following an incident late last year at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, where a ground crew worker died after she was "ingested" into an airplane engine.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, after investigators determined the airline was at fault in the New Year's Eve death of Courtney Edwards, a ground agent for Piedmont Airlines.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that Edwards, a 34-year-old mother of three, approached American Airlines Flight 3408 after it had recently landed when she was sucked into the plane's engine. She did not survive.
The plane had just completed a trip from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas.
OSHA's $15,625 penalty is the maximum under the law.
"The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to ingestion and jet blast hazards," OSHA said.
Crystal Byrd, a spokesperson at Piedmont Airlines, told Dallas Morning News the company is investigating the incident.
"Safety is always our top priority for our team members," Byrd said. "We appreciate the recommendations from OSHA and will ensure that a thorough review is accomplished."
The penalty comes after an NTSB preliminary report released in January was favorable to the airline. It said the ground crew at the airport held two safety briefings immediately before the plane arrived at the gate.
Employees were told they should not approach the plane until the engine was shut off and a beacon light was turned off, according to the NTSB report.
Tue, June 20, 2023
An airline has been fined $15,625 following an incident late last year at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, where a ground crew worker died after she was "ingested" into an airplane engine.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, after investigators determined the airline was at fault in the New Year's Eve death of Courtney Edwards, a ground agent for Piedmont Airlines.
An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that Edwards, a 34-year-old mother of three, approached American Airlines Flight 3408 after it had recently landed when she was sucked into the plane's engine. She did not survive.
The plane had just completed a trip from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas.
OSHA's $15,625 penalty is the maximum under the law.
"The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or were likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees that were exposed to ingestion and jet blast hazards," OSHA said.
Crystal Byrd, a spokesperson at Piedmont Airlines, told Dallas Morning News the company is investigating the incident.
"Safety is always our top priority for our team members," Byrd said. "We appreciate the recommendations from OSHA and will ensure that a thorough review is accomplished."
The penalty comes after an NTSB preliminary report released in January was favorable to the airline. It said the ground crew at the airport held two safety briefings immediately before the plane arrived at the gate.
Employees were told they should not approach the plane until the engine was shut off and a beacon light was turned off, according to the NTSB report.
The co-pilot attempted to inform workers on the ground that the engines were still on but "Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of the number 1 engine," the NTSB report read.
"Unsure of what had occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries before leaving the flight deck to investigate," the report continued.
Edwards was seen in surveillance footage behind the plane but disappeared from view.
"She was subsequently pulled off her feet and into the operating engine," the report reads.
The NTSB report suggested Edwards failed to keep at a safe distance until the airplane's rotating beacon light shut off.
American Airlines said in a statement released shortly after the incident, "We are devastated by the accident involving a team member of Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines regional carrier, at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM)."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and our local team members," the statement continued. "We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time."
The company has 15 business days from receiving the citation to comply with paying its penalties.
A fundraiser was created online to support funeral costs and Edwards' children. It has raised more than $122,000 as of Tuesday morning.
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