An employee at a Texas airport died on Friday after being “started” by the engine of a plane that had just landed on the tarmac, we learned Sunday from the US agency responsible for investigating transportation accidents (NTSB).
The NTSB said the man was “dragged into the engine” of a Delta airliner that had “landed at San Antonio International Airport from Los Angeles, California and was running down the runway to get to the landing gate, with only one engine running.” .
The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation to determine the consequences of this accident, which occurred on Friday at approximately 10:25 p.m. (local time).
The man worked for Unifi Aviation according to local media, a company that provides assistance services to several airlines, including Delta.
Delta Air Lines said it was “extremely saddened” by the incident and confirmed to “cooperate with the authorities” who are leading the investigation, in a press release sent to local channel KENS 5.
On Wednesday, Piedmont Airlines was fined more than $15,000 by the federal agency responsible for the prevention of occupational accidents (OSHA), for its responsibility in an airport agent’s fatal accident, which occurred last year in similar circumstances.
