Alabama airline worker sucked into engine with 'bang,' plane filled with passengers shook violently: NTSB
American Airlines subsidiary ground crew worker killed at Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama
A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) review of a New Year’s Eve incident, in which a ground crew worker was killed at an airport in Montgomery, Alabama, after being sucked into the engine of a plane, says the aircraft "shook violently" as it shut off with a "bang."
The death involving a ramp agent for Piedmont Airlines – a subsidiary of American Airlines Group – happened at Montgomery Regional Airport shortly after an Embraer 170 plane operated by Envoy Air landed with 63 passengers on board, the NTSB said.
The ramp agent has since been identified as Courtney Edwards, 34, a mother of three.
The preliminary report states the aircraft had an inoperative auxiliary power unit and that its captain signaled for it to be connected to ground power after arriving from Dallas, opting to "leave both engines running for the required two-minute engine cool down period."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAL | AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC. | 14.11 | +0.09 | +0.64% |
As the captain was shutting off the plane’s right engine, he received a message that the aircraft’s front cargo door had opened and "the first officer opened his cockpit window to inform the ramp agent that the engines were still operating," the report says.
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A Piedmont Airlines ground crew worker was killed at Alabama's Montgomery Regional Airport on Dec. 31, 2022, after being "ingested" into an engine. (WAKA)
The NTSB found that the captain then told passengers to remain seated until the seat belt sign turned off and said to his colleague that the airplane’s left engine would be shut down after it was connected to ground power.
"Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of the number 1 [left] engine," the report says. "Unsure of what had occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries before leaving the flight deck to investigate."
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The FAA clocked the incident around 2:20 p.m., saying it occurred on the airport ramp near an American Airlines Embraer E170. (WAKA)
The NTSB, citing surveillance video, said Edwards was seen "walking along the leading edge of the left wing and directly in front of the number one engine" before she was "subsequently pulled off her feet and into the operating engine."
"Throughout the course of the accident, the airplane’s upper rotating beacon light," which warns ground crews of ongoing engine activity, "appeared to be illuminated," the NTSB said.
The report said just prior to the plane’s arrival, the ramp agents held two safety briefings "to reiterate that the engines would remain running until ground power was connected."
All inbound and outbound flights were initially grounded at Alabama's Montgomery Regional Airport, but operations resumed about seven hours after the incident. (WAKA)
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"It was also discussed that the airplane should not be approached, and the diamond of safety cones should not be set until the engines were off, spooled down, and the airplane’s rotating beacon light had been extinguished by the flight crew," the report continues.
One of the ramp agents reported hearing a "bang" as the engine shut down, the NTSB also said.