American Airlines Fined $15K After A Worker Was ‘Violently’ Sucked Into Planes Engine, Killing Her

A ground worker dies after she was ‘violently’ sucked into a planes engine at an Alabama airport on New Year’s Eve.

Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, hit with a $15k fine over the death of the ground crew worker.

Fine levied against Piedmont Airlines after investigators found it was responsible for a safety breach that led to the incident.

Investigators reveals that the worker disappeared from view, after which a co-pilot reported that the “airplane shook violently”.

Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, has been hit with a $15,625 fine over the death of a ground crew worker who was sucked into the engine of a plane at an Alabama airport on New Year’s Eve.

The fine was levied against Piedmont Airlines after investigators found it was responsible for a safety breach that led to the death of Courtney Edwards at Montgomery Regional Airport on Dec. 31.

An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that 34 year old Edwards was “ingested into the engine” while “on the ramp at Montgomery Regional Airport where American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175, was parked.”

The NTSB found that the ground crew at the Montgomery airport held two safety briefings 10 minutes before the plane arrived at the gate, during which employees were told not to approach the aircraft until the engine was shut off and a beacon light was turned off.

After the flight arrived in Montgomery, the pilot was given an alert that the front cargo door was being opened just as he started to shut down the right engine.

Surveillance footage showed Edwards walking toward the plane’s rear while holding an orange safety cone, according to the NTSB report.

In the video, Edwards disappears from view. A short time later, the tragedy took place, according to the report.

A co-pilot reported that the “airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown.”

A GoFundMe was launched to help Edwards’ three children. As of Friday, it raised more than $114,000 — more than four times its initial goal of $25,000.

“Courtney was a Ground Handling agent for Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, a loving mother of 3 kids and a wonderful daughter to her beloved mother, Natalie English of Montgomery, Alabama,” according to the GoFundMe page.

Shortly after the incident, American Airlines released a statement that read:

“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. We are focused on ensuring that all involved have the support they need during this difficult time,” the company said.

Credit : NYPOST

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