CAL Bagage Handler Sucked into Engine?

[Swass]

Maybe I was dreaming but I thought I caught a story on the radio saying a baggage handler was killed after being sucked into an engine. Hope I heard the story wrong, I just caught a piece of it.

 

[oiltycoon]

A little while ago, CNN had a blurb about it. All I got from it was it happened in El Paso and a 737 was involved.

 

[AC560]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/01/16/airplane.fatality/index.html

 

[A1FlyBoy]

Swass:

I just caught a piece of it.

pun intended???

 

[aeronautic1]

No intiendo, clear zone

 

[Flyerjosh]

Airline mechanic killed at El Paso International Airport

Times staff reports
Monday, January 16, 2006

An airline mechanic at the El Paso International Airport was sucked into an airplane's jet engine and killed Monday morning, officials said.

The name of the victim was not released but officials said the worker was doing maintenance work on a Boeing 737 when he was sucked into the engine.

"It was a Boeing 737 and was doing an engine run up for a maintenance problem and a person was sucked into the engine," said Roland Herwig, a spoksesman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Oklahoma City.

Herwig referred inquiries to the National Transportation Safety Board, which is conducting an investigation of the incident, which occurred between 9 and 10 a.m.

Continental Airlines spokesman David Messing said a worker for one of Continental's suppliers was servicing the plane when the incident occurred.

Several Continental flights had been delayed while authorities investigated, but it was not known how many flights.

Continental Airlines Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner issued the following statement: “My fellow co-workers and I extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the mechanic involved in this tragic event,” Kellner said. “Continental is coordinating assistance for passengers who need help dealing with this tragedy.

Continental’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) team is also flying to El Paso to meet with employees.”

Read the full story in tomorrow's El Paso Times

 

[AZ402Driver]

I saw it after it happened. Was sitting on a SWA flight two gates away airlining to crew one of our planes out of LAX. We departed 10 minutes after it happened. All I can say is that as we taxied by there wasn't anything larger than a hamburger patty laying behind that engine. There was red debris blown out the back of the number two engine at least an aircrafts length back. Pretty sick...

 

[BID]

Are you serious, did you really see that? Man, that is awful!

 

[PeteCO]

Unless you are standing directly in front of it, how can a turbofan suck someone in? What is a safe distance from the front?

Could someone sneak up from the side and stand next to the intake, or would that suck you in, too?

Crazy.

 

[USMCmech]

Unless you are standing directly in front of it, how can a turbofan suck someone in? What is a safe distance from the front?

Could someone sneak up from the side and stand next to the intake, or would that suck you in, too?

Very easilly.

Observe this video. (no fatalities here)

http://www.orizzle.com/htm/v/018.htm

This lucky guy got his flightdeck jesrsey caught on one of the intake pitot tubes.


At idle, most engines (including CFM-56s) have a danger zone of about 30ft in an arc all around the front of the engine. Many ramps have these danger zones painted on the ground at the gate. Lighter FOD can be picked up even farther out.

It is possible to safely aproach from the rear quarter outside of the blast area. Often you will see a mechanic aproach from the rear quarter and put his hand into the area where the bypass air exits. If the engine is off, he can move around the front.

Stay well away unless you are properly trained!