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CAL Bagage Handler Sucked into Engine?
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aeronautic1
Virgil_Tracy
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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
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
New member
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- Sep 25, 2004
- Posts
- 2
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...
USMCmech
Well-known member
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- Jan 7, 2005
- Posts
- 259
PeteCO said:
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!
Sam Snead
Roger, Roger.
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- Aug 8, 2005
- Posts
- 151
I've been in the game 14 years and I've never heard about this happening to anyone with a civilian jet (there's about one civilian airline propeller accident every other year).
The fact that it was mechanic (did I read that right?) indicates that something must have gone disastrously wrong.
I'm sure the whole mx crew is in shock, especially his/her shift.
The fact that it was mechanic (did I read that right?) indicates that something must have gone disastrously wrong.
I'm sure the whole mx crew is in shock, especially his/her shift.
Metro752
5
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- Apr 15, 2004
- Posts
- 4,872
From my experience working on the ramp, and dealing with hot shots
Maybe he was one of those guys who was too cool to be careful or stay out of the safety zone. One of those guys who tells all the new guys it will only suck you up if it's at full power.
Walking in front of a jet engine is like intentionally walking across rush hour traffic on a 6 lane wide highway in one direction. You just don't do it on accident. #1 thing in your head, even subconsciously is, I dont wanna get sucked in, I dont wanna get sucked in.
OR
Maybe he had a lot of problems, and the whole part about staying away from the front of the engine escaped him.
Maybe he had really good hearing protection and couldn't hear a jet engine, not.
Either way, too bad for his family.
Maybe he was one of those guys who was too cool to be careful or stay out of the safety zone. One of those guys who tells all the new guys it will only suck you up if it's at full power.
Walking in front of a jet engine is like intentionally walking across rush hour traffic on a 6 lane wide highway in one direction. You just don't do it on accident. #1 thing in your head, even subconsciously is, I dont wanna get sucked in, I dont wanna get sucked in.
OR
Maybe he had a lot of problems, and the whole part about staying away from the front of the engine escaped him.
Maybe he had really good hearing protection and couldn't hear a jet engine, not.
Either way, too bad for his family.
pilot error
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 24, 2004
- Posts
- 189
http://www.elpasotimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060117/NEWS/601170325/1001
Link to story in El Paso Times.
An engine run up while passengers are boarding? Is this a common practice, or just the media butchering up the story?
Something isnt adding up here. An engine at idle, you would have to dang near jump in the thing. If its spooled up, thats different all together. Im pretty sure that A-6 video was an engine run up to full power, and the suckee was in the wrong place, or the sucker was unaware of his presence at time of said run up.
The sound alone from a running turbine is enough to earn a healthy respect. Hell even a running apu with earplugs would earn my respect when I was on the ramp.
Condolences to the family and co workers.
Link to story in El Paso Times.
An engine run up while passengers are boarding? Is this a common practice, or just the media butchering up the story?
Something isnt adding up here. An engine at idle, you would have to dang near jump in the thing. If its spooled up, thats different all together. Im pretty sure that A-6 video was an engine run up to full power, and the suckee was in the wrong place, or the sucker was unaware of his presence at time of said run up.
The sound alone from a running turbine is enough to earn a healthy respect. Hell even a running apu with earplugs would earn my respect when I was on the ramp.
Condolences to the family and co workers.
User546
The Ultimate Show Stopper
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2004
- Posts
- 1,958
We happened to arrive into El Paso shortly after the accident had occurred. As we're taxiing into the FBO I noticed over at the terminal was 10-15 fire trucks, police cars, airport vehicles all surrounding a Continental plane at the gate.
We couldn't figure out what was going on, so when we got out we asked the lineman if he knew anything. He told us "one of the mechanics got sucked into the turbine and theres nothing left of him."
One of the lineman who drove us to lunch was telling us that he'd been standing about 15 feet from the guy when he got sucked in. He said it appears that the guys hat blew off, and when he went to reach for it he got caught in the suction of the intake and in the blink of an eye he disappeared. Said he probably never knew what hit him. He said the engine then made a series of loud explosions and then shut down. He said there was very little remains left of the victim, and what was left had been shot all the way out across the ramp and out to the adjoining taxiway. He said it was a very gruesome sight.
What I gathered about the unfortunate gentleman was that he was in his early 60's, had four children, and didn't work for Continental, but worked for a mechanic shop next to the FBO. All the employees of the FBO knew him well and were visibly shaken up and upset over the ordeal. The terrible part is that he had only been over there helping because he didn't have any work to do that morning, so he thought he'd go over and lend them a hand - something he'd do from time to time.
Later in the day they towed the Continental plane away from the hanger, and adjacent to where the FBO was, where I grabbed a couple shots of the accident airplane.
Photos taken shortly after the accident:
Photo 1 - Emergency Vehicles
Photo 2 - Upclose of Terminal
Photos taken after the 737 had been towed away:
Photo 1 - Investigators Looking Over Engine
Photo 2 - Accident Airplane
Photo 3 - Upclose of Engine *Warning Blood*
Please remember this guys family and keep them in your prayers during this hard time. And also remember, we're never guaranteed tomorrow. This guy woke up on just another Monday morning, ate breakfast, got dressed, went to work like all the rest of us do. In the blink of an eye, his life was over. This could have been any of us today, and you should never take every day you have for granted.
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/6157369/detail.html
We couldn't figure out what was going on, so when we got out we asked the lineman if he knew anything. He told us "one of the mechanics got sucked into the turbine and theres nothing left of him."
One of the lineman who drove us to lunch was telling us that he'd been standing about 15 feet from the guy when he got sucked in. He said it appears that the guys hat blew off, and when he went to reach for it he got caught in the suction of the intake and in the blink of an eye he disappeared. Said he probably never knew what hit him. He said the engine then made a series of loud explosions and then shut down. He said there was very little remains left of the victim, and what was left had been shot all the way out across the ramp and out to the adjoining taxiway. He said it was a very gruesome sight.
What I gathered about the unfortunate gentleman was that he was in his early 60's, had four children, and didn't work for Continental, but worked for a mechanic shop next to the FBO. All the employees of the FBO knew him well and were visibly shaken up and upset over the ordeal. The terrible part is that he had only been over there helping because he didn't have any work to do that morning, so he thought he'd go over and lend them a hand - something he'd do from time to time.
Later in the day they towed the Continental plane away from the hanger, and adjacent to where the FBO was, where I grabbed a couple shots of the accident airplane.
Photos taken shortly after the accident:
Photo 1 - Emergency Vehicles
Photo 2 - Upclose of Terminal
Photos taken after the 737 had been towed away:
Photo 1 - Investigators Looking Over Engine
Photo 2 - Accident Airplane
Photo 3 - Upclose of Engine *Warning Blood*
Please remember this guys family and keep them in your prayers during this hard time. And also remember, we're never guaranteed tomorrow. This guy woke up on just another Monday morning, ate breakfast, got dressed, went to work like all the rest of us do. In the blink of an eye, his life was over. This could have been any of us today, and you should never take every day you have for granted.
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/6157369/detail.html
I knew something didnt add up. I am sure that Continental could have handled the mx with their hired mechanics alone.
User 997, did this outfit do any contract work for Continental that you know of? Did they have the business or need to be around a Co aircraft?
I would imagine that the guy was just trying to help, but dang, I wonder if he was even properly trained to be around running turbines?
All due respect to the poor guy.
I don't want to speculate.
User 997, did this outfit do any contract work for Continental that you know of? Did they have the business or need to be around a Co aircraft?
I would imagine that the guy was just trying to help, but dang, I wonder if he was even properly trained to be around running turbines?
All due respect to the poor guy.
I don't want to speculate.
User546
The Ultimate Show Stopper
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2004
- Posts
- 1,958
I did read in one of the El Paso online news articles that it appears he was a contract supplier for Continental, so he probably had every right to be there, and had been trained the dangers of jet engines.andy_paul said:
A guy in the FBO said he would go over there from time to time to help the mechanics out, so it probably wasn't his first time around.
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