A worker contracted by Delta Airlines died on Friday, June 23, after being sucked into an aircraft engine.
The tragic news of the apparent suicide was relayed by San Antonio International Airport.
The incident occurred at around 10:25 pm, prompting a response from emergency services. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed the death of the ground crew member, David Renner, 27, from San Antonio, noting that the worker had been “ingested” into the engine. According to a local medical examiner Renner took his own life. The incident occurred while Delta Flight 1111, arriving from Los Angeles, was taxiing toward a gate.
According to the NTSB, the aircraft had one engine running when Renner was pulled into it, resulting in death. The following morning, the plane remained at the gate, leading to operational delays at the airport. Currently the NTSB sees no reason to investigate since there were no problems with the airplane or the airport.
Unifi Aviation, the worker’s employer, clarified that the incident was not related to any of their safety procedures.
This incident is the latest in a string of ground accidents at US airports over the past year. Earlier, an American Airlines subsidiary was fined $15,000 following the death of a ground crew worker who was also sucked into an engine. The Federal Aviation Administration is concurrently investigating a recent near-miss at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport involving an American Airlines and Delta flight, where the two came within just 200 feet of each other.
