Envoy E175 at Montgomery on Dec 31st 2022, ground worker killed

Last Update: January 23, 2023 / 23:32:59 GMT/Zulu time

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Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 31, 2022

Classification
Accident

Airline
Envoy Air

Flight number
AA-3408

Departure
Montgomery, United States

Destination
Dallas Ft. Worth, United States

Aircraft Registration
N264NN

Aircraft Type
Embraer ERJ-175

ICAO Type Designator
E175

An Envoy Embraer ERJ-175 on behalf of American Airlines, registration N264NN performing flight AA-3408 from Montgomery,AL to Dallas Ft. Worth,TX (USA), was preparing for departure at the gate when a baggage handler was killed being ingested into the left hand engine (CF34).

Montgomery Airport reported a ground employee was involved in a fatality, no further information was available.

The FAA confirmed a fatality occurred while flight AA-3408 was still at the gate. The airport was closed for several hours as result. The NTSB is investigating.

According to local media reports the baggage handler was sucked into one of the aircraft's engines (CF34) and killed.

A fellow ground worker witnessing the accident confirmed the baggage handler was ingested by one of the engines of the aircraft.

The family of the baggage handler reported the ground worker involved was a wife and mother of three.

The NTSB stated the aircraft was parked at the gate with the park brakes on, when a ground worker was ingested into an engine. The NTSB have opened an investigation.

On Jan 23rd 2023 the NTSB released their preliminary report summarizing the sequence of events:

The flight was operated by Envoy Air Inc. doing business as American Eagle flight ENY3408 with an inoperative auxiliary power unit (APU). The flight crew reported that after an uneventful flight they elected to leave both engines running for the required two-minute engine cool down period. As the airplane approached the gate, three ramp agents were present, but clear of the safety area. After stopping the aircraft and setting the parking brake, the captain gave the hand signal to connect the airplane to ground power. As he was shutting down the number 2 (right) engine the “DOOR CRG FWD OPEN” engine indicating and crew alerting system (EICAS) message appeared (indicating that the forward cargo door had opened). The first officer (FO) opened his cockpit window to inform the ramp agent that the engines were still operating. The captain then made a brief announcement asking the passengers to remain seated until the seat belt sign had been turned off. He then relayed his intentions to the FO that the seat belt sign would stay illuminated until they had connected to ground power and could shut down the number 1 (left) engine. Immediately thereafter, he saw a warning light illuminate and the airplane shook violently followed by the immediate automatic shutdown of the number 1 engine. Unsure of what had occurred, he extinguished the emergency lights and shut off both batteries before leaving the flight deck to investigate.

Video surveillance captured the accident sequence and showed the airplane being marshalled to the gate. After the nose wheel was chocked, the ramp agent marshaling the airplane walked toward the forward cargo door located on the right side and near the front of the airplane.

Simultaneously, another ramp agent appeared walking towards the back of the airplane with an orange safety cone where she disappeared from view. A third ramp agent located near the right wing tip could be seen gesturing with his hand towards the back of the airplane.

Meanwhile, a fourth ramp agent knelt near the airplane’s nose wheel. The ramp agent from the back of the airplane reappeared and began walking away from the airplane and towards the left wing tip where she disappeared from the camera’s field of view. The marshaller could be seen backing away from the airplane’s open forward cargo door and the ramp agent from the back of the airplane reappeared walking along the leading edge of the left wing and directly in front of the number one engine. 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 appeared to be illuminated.

The ground crew reported that a safety briefing was held about 10 minutes before the airplane arrived at the gate. A second safety “huddle” was held shortly before the airplane arrived at the gate, 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.

One ramp agent located near the right wing tip stated that he observed another ramp agent approach the back of the airplane to set the rear safety cone. He observed her almost fall over from the engines exhaust while he attempted to alert her to stay back and wait for the engines to be shut down. He also stated that he observed the airplane’s upper and lower rotating beacon lights illuminated.

Another ramp agent stated that after chocking the nose wheel of the airplane, he observed another ramp agent approach the forward cargo door and he knelt to wave him off. He then observed another ramp agent about to set the safety cone at the rear of the airplane, he yelled and waved her off as the number 1 engine was still running. He observed her as she began to move away from the airplane before he turned to lower the cord for the ground power. Shortly thereafter he heard a “bang” and the engine shut down.
Aircraft Registration Data
Registration mark
N264NN
Country of Registration
United States
Date of Registration
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Manufacturer
EMBRAER S A
Aircraft Model / Type
ERJ 170-200 LR
Number of Seats
Bp Subscribe to unlock
ICAO Aircraft Type
E175
Year of Manufacture
Kglq Subscribe to unlock
Serial Number
JckAdpci Subscribe to unlock
Aircraft Address / Mode S Code (HEX)
Mlpqnh Subscribe to unlock
Engine Count
B Subscribe to unlock
Engine Manufacturer
FA Subscribe to unlock
Engine Model
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Engine Type
DhAqdci d Subscribe to unlock
Pounds of Thrust
Jdcdb Subscribe to unlock
Main Owner
DkAAfqAkAAfpnAn njbqniccpnAlleeqAnqckAj jgpbnmpbkfmekclnmcbnhdmn kgjgihdqnqiAqq Subscribe to unlock
Incident Facts

Date of incident
Dec 31, 2022

Classification
Accident

Airline
Envoy Air

Flight number
AA-3408

Departure
Montgomery, United States

Destination
Dallas Ft. Worth, United States

Aircraft Registration
N264NN

Aircraft Type
Embraer ERJ-175

ICAO Type Designator
E175

This article is published under license from Avherald.com. © of text by Avherald.com.
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