Airport Ground Crew Worker Killed After Getting 'Ingested Into Engine' Of Parked Aircraft

A member of an airline ground crew was tragically killed after getting sucked into the engine of an aircraft while working at an Alabama airport.

The incident took place at the Montgomery Regional Airport at around 3:00 p.m. Saturday. The staff member got "ingested into the engine" of the aircraft while it was parked at a gate, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told CBS news. The flight was scheduled to depart Montgomery for Dallas-Fort Worth before the incident happened, according to authorities.

The airline withheld the name of the deceased personnel, identifying him as an American Airlines/Piedmont Airlines ground crew employee. "We are saddened to hear about the tragic loss of a team member of the AA/Piedmont Airlines," Wade A. Davis, the airport's executive director, said in a statement, according to WUSA-TV. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time."

American Airlines also issued a statement, expressing sadness over the death of the team member. The airline said they were ensuring all involved in the incident were getting the support they needed.

"We are devastated by the accident involving a team member of Piedmont Airlines, an American Airlines regional carrier, at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM)," American Airlines said in a statement, as per ABC News. "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."

All outbound and inbound flights were canceled for a short while in the wake of the incident. Taking to Twitter, the airport said all operations were resumed at 8:30 p.m. and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation into the matter.

Passengers were also asked to check with the airline for possible flight changes.

In a similar incident that occured in September 2022, a 26-year-old baggage handler died after her hair got stuck in a belt loader while working at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana. Jermani Thompson, a GAT Airline Ground Support team member, was unloading luggage from a Frontier Airlines plane while it was parked on a ramp when the freak accident took place. She was immediately rushed to a hospital where she died shortly after.