A ramp agent, identified by co-worker as Courtney Edwards. Was killed Dec. 31 at Montgomery Regional Airport.
An airline worker killed in a Dec. 31 crash at an Alabama airport was given many warnings. About the dangers of being near jet engines. The National Transportation Safety Board said.
A preliminary report shared by the agency. On Monday did not clearly assign responsibility. For the incident at Montgomery Regional Airport.
The employee, identified by the NTSB. As a ramp agent for the American Airlines commuter carrier American Eagle. Was on the tarmac and placed a safety cone on the back of the parked plane just.
Communications Workers of America identified the employee as Courtney Edwards. 34, an area mother of three. Union and American Airlines said he worked for regional subsidiary Piedmont Airlines.
The report describes many points when the worker was directly. Warned or exposed to information about the dangers of being too close to the engine.
The report also cited instances where two ramp agents saw workers getting too close to the plane. And one of the engines and tried to get them to leave. In one, an agent saw a worker nearly fall from an engine exhaust. And tried to warn him to stay back, according to the NTSB report.
Before the plane arrived at its gate from Dallas-Fort Worth. There were two safety briefings for crew members.
And a rotating beacon light went out, the report said. A quote from American Eagle’s ground operations manual.
According to the NTSB report, after deploying the cone. Which indicated the plane was stationary. The worker walked along the leading edge of its left wing. Which placed him directly in front of one of the Embraer 170’s two engines.
While walking along the wing, the employee walked too close to a running engine and died, the NTSB said.
According to the report, the rotating beacon lights were burning throughout the incident.
American Airlines and Edwards’ mother did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
“He was away from his family on New Year’s Eve working to make. Sure passengers were where they needed to be for the holidays. He represents a great. Our CWA airport,” Richard Honeycutt. Regional vice president of the Communications Workers of America. Said in a statement earlier this month. Outstanding member, who continues to make sacrifices to serve the flying public.”
The union spearheaded a crowd-funding page. To raise nearly $100,000 to support Edwards’ children.
