Worker was sucked into plane engine and died, feds say. Airline now fined

Piedmont Airlines, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, has been fined by OSHA in the “preventable” death of an airline worker on New Year’s Eve, a workers union said.

Courtney Edwards, 34, a mother of three and ground agent at the Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama, was working on Dec. 31 when she walked too close to the engine of a plane parking at the gangway, according to The Dallas Morning News.

The extreme force pulled her toward the engine and she was “ingested,” according to the National Transportation Safety Board, AL.com reported.

The flight arrived from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, and flights were grounded for hours after the accident, McClatchy News previously reported.

NTSB released a report about the accident in January that found Piedmont had recently provided a training for employees that said not to approach the airplane until the engine had stopped and a light beacon was shut off, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Now, six months after that report, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration found Piedmont guilty of a “serious breach of safety,” according to a June 14 release from the Communications Workers of America, a union that includes airline workers.

“OSHA also found that the lack of effective training, clear and unambiguous communication on the ramp, and clear instructions from supervisors as to when it is safe to approach an aircraft were deficiencies that contributed to Courtney Edwards’ preventable death,” the union said.

A spokesperson for Piedmont Airlines told The Dallas Morning News that safety is a top priority for team members, and the company will “ensure that a thorough review is accomplished.”

OSHA issued a General Duty Clause violation that comes with a maximum penalty of $15,625, according to the union.

“Despite the small penalty, it is likely Piedmont will contest the decision,” the union said, “but CWA will continue to fight for Courtney Edwards, her family, and the safety of all airline workers, who should never fear for their lives on the job.”

Piedmont Airlines may appeal the decision, AL.com reported.

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