Airline Crew Member Falls Off Plane While Preparing For Takeoff, Hospitalized

An Air India female crew member suffered serious injuries after falling off from the aircraft while preparing the plane for departure for New Delhi from Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in India. The incident took place late Sunday on Air India flight AI 864, according to an airline source.​

“The woman crew member was closing the door for the push back when she fell from the aircraft,” the source said, according to Indian newspaper the Hindustan Times. The 53-year-old woman was rushed to a hospital.

The flight attendant was identified as Harsha Lobo, the Times of India reported, citing a source.

“During pre-boarding, she went to open the L5 door of the Boeing 777 to allow the step ladder to align with the door. There was a gap and in the process of opening the door, she slipped and fell onto the tarmac,” the source said, adding that Lobo was conscious but in a critical condition in the hospital.

The Boeing 777 aircraft door is about 30 feet above the ground.

In a statement to local media, Air India said it will conduct an investigation into the incident.

"In an unfortunate incident, one of our cabin crew (members), Harsha Lobo, fell down on the tarmac from the Boeing-777 aircraft door while closing it," the airline said in the statement. "She sustained injuries to her legs and has been taken to the Nanavati Hospital for further treatment.”

Last week, Air India found itself in hot water after its Boeing 737 plane flying from the southern Indian city of Tiruchirappalli to Dubai hit equipment at the airport used to guide a pilot to land a flight and then brushed the compound wall during takeoff. All 136 people on board the Air India Express plane escaped any injuries. Local media reports said the airport staff, including Central Industrial Security Force personnel, who informed the Air Traffic Controller about the accident, were being questioned.

Despite suffering extensive damage to its body after hitting the wall, the plane continued to fly for three hours as the pilots, apparently unaware of the damage, reported that "all systems were functioning normally." The plane was later diverted to Mumbai as precaution.

This is a developing story.