Alabama airline worker sucked into engine with 'bang, ' plane filled with passengers shook violently: NTSB

[bill white]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/alabama-airline-worker-sucked-engine-
bang-plane-filled-passengers-shook-violently-ntsb?dicbo=v2-
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A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) review of a New Year’s Eve
incident, in which a ground crew worker was killed at an airport in
Montgomery, Alabama, after being sucked into the engine of a plane, says
the aircraft "shook violently" as it shut off with a "bang."

The death involving a ramp agent for Piedmont Airlines – a subsidiary of
American Airlines Group – happened at Montgomery Regional Airport shortly
after an Embraer 170 plane operated by Envoy Air landed with 63 passengers
on board, the NTSB said.

The ramp agent has since been identified as Courtney Edwards, 34, a mother
of three.

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The preliminary report states the aircraft had an inoperative auxiliary
power unit and that its captain signaled for it to be connected to ground
power after arriving from Dallas, opting to "leave both engines running
for the required two-minute engine cool down period."

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As the captain was shutting off the plane’s right engine, he received a
message that the aircraft’s front cargo door had opened and "the first
officer opened his cockpit window to inform the ramp agent that the
engines were still operating," the report says.

GROUND CREW WORKER DIES AFTER BEING ‘INGESTED INTO THE ENGINE’ OF PLANE AT
ALABAMA AIRPORT

The NTSB found that the captain then told passengers to remain seated
until the seat belt sign turned off and said to his colleague that the
airplane’s left engine would be shut down after it was connected to ground
power.

"Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the
airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of
the number 1 [left] engine," the report says. "Unsure of what had
occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries
before leaving the flight deck to investigate."

The NTSB, citing surveillance video, said Edwards was seen "walking along
the leading edge of the left wing and directly in front of the number one
engine" before she was "subsequently pulled off her feet and into the
operating engine."

"Throughout the course of the accident, the airplane’s upper rotating
beacon light," which warns ground crews of ongoing engine activity,
"appeared to be illuminated," the NTSB said.

The report said just prior to the plane’s arrival, the ramp agents held
two safety briefings "to reiterate that the engines would remain running
until ground power was connected."

"It was also discussed that the airplane should not be approached, and the
diamond of safety cones should not be set until the engines were off,
spooled down, and the airplane’s rotating beacon light had been
extinguished by the flight crew," the report continues.

One of the ramp agents reported hearing a "bang" as the engine shut down,
the NTSB also said.