A ground crew employee was killed in what is being described as an industrial accident at a central Alabama airport on Saturday; he got sucked into - and through - a running jet engine.
The Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) said an employee with American Airlines/Piedmont Airlines died in the accident at the airport around 3 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the employee was killed where American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175 twin-jet, was parked, according to Reuters. Data on FlightAware showed the flight was scheduled to depart from Gate 4 in Montgomery for Dallas-Forth Worth Saturday afternoon.
Reuters also reported two people briefed on the incident said the employee, who was a baggage handler, died in “an accident involving one of the airplane’s engines that was running.”
He got sucked into the running engine, ground-up, and spewed out in a spray of blood, torn tissue, and crushed bones.
MGM Executive Director Wade Davis said the airport is saddened by the tragic loss of a team member.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” Davis added.
The airport initially grounded all outbound and inbound flights, but resumed normal operations at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Passengers who experienced flight changes because of the accident were asked to check with their airline carrier for the latest updates.
