Belgian Onur Air pilot dies after falling onto apron

[crewmeal]

Regardless of aircraft type there are procedures to go through when opening and in this case closing a door. What went wrong in Amman?

Onur Air pilot dies after falling onto apron (http://www.todayszaman.com/news-277835-onur-air-pilot-dies-after-falling-onto-apron.html)

An Onur Air pilot who fell onto the apron while trying to close the front door of his plane died in Amman shortly before the flight was due to depart for İstanbul on Tuesday evening.
Olivier Mester, a Belgian national, fell from the plane while closing the front door shortly before the plane's scheduled flight from Amman. Emergency medical teams rushed to the scene, but were unable to save the pilot.

At a press conference on Wednesday, Onur Air officials confirmed one of their pilots died at 9 p.m. on Tuesday evening.

“The injured pilot was first attended to by technical staff who were standing on the apron preparing the plane for takeoff. They immediately informed paramedics about the incident. The injured pilot was taken to hospital after being attended to by medical response teams at the scene, but he could not be saved.”

Mester, 56 years old, had worked for Onur Air since 2009. His body was repatriated late on Wednesday.

[captplaystation]

Not the 1st, nor probably the last, to fall foul of something much more dangerous than the man in the street can probably fathom.
Proper technique absolutely essential whilst performing this task.
A few people injured badly too, falling between aircraft/catering trucks/jetways.

[seckin]

Onur air and procedures :=

[Tinribs]

Same thing happened to BMI at LHR years ago

Captain standing in forward galley steps back onto catering truck ramp to allow space for pretty girl to show him where tea is kept on this one

Catering truck left two minutes ago

Report says " Captain found unconscious next to aircraft" bit unfair really

[FCeng84]

I don't know the details of any of the specific events mentioned in this thread, but it is my experience in life that anything that becomes routine is an opportunity for an accident in that we have a tendency to let our guard down when the situation seems particularly familiar. As examples, the only at fault car accidents that I have been involved in have been when I was not paying sufficient attention to the driving task at hand.

[Basil]

Doors are dangerous - please treat them with respect.
Recollect doing walkround on B747. CC had opened door and permitted a couple of pax to stand having a smoke.
In that company, at that time, smoking on ground with doors open not permitted BUT OK with permission of captain with doors closed.
The guard tape had been placed across but that's really for professionals whilst turning the a/c round.
A little kid would have gone right under and, on a B747, it's a LONG WAY to the ground - you're dead.

The unthinking girl was not best pleased when I pointed out the possible consequences. Before anyone thinks I'm CC bashing; has Basil ever done anything stupid? Oh yes, yes, and yes again . . . ! :O

[red 7]

And people laugh at Big Airways when we say there is no way ever that any aircraft door can be opened unless a truck or steps/airbridge is in place,

Stops tragic things like this....

[blind pew]

Steward died after falling off stairs positioned on a Trident in Rome when guard rail collapsed which hadn't been secured.
Irish accident report a couple of years ago where girl lost a leg because of incorrectly positioned air stairs.
After the report was published flew into Eidw as SLF late at night during near gale to disembark on stairs without jacks screwed down.Stairs rocking side to side. My report ignored and eventually spoke to the ops inspector who considered that I have an axe to grind against carrier.
Don't as my wife is flying with them next week but do have a grudge against authorities who could do more to prevent such tragedies.

[Typhoon650]

I never left an aircraft before ensuring the door was back in the cracked position. I can't fathom any operation that wouldn't have that as SOP.
I also saw a cabin attendant open a rear door on a 737 one time after a set of air starts had blown away and I was frantically trying to push them back into place with my offsider (we weren't involved in ramp duties, just happened to see it happen and realise it was dangerous due to the door being in the cracked position to keep out rain).
Anyway, the attendant threw the door open and all but stepped out onto the top landing that wasn't there....never assume when working at heights and always ensure your next step can take your weight before moving forward when crossing gaps.
As the old marine saying goes "one hand for the boat".

[Trolle]

At a US airline had a flight deck member fall out of a regional jet that does not have stairs installed. The mobile stairs had just been removed, the door was open, and the crew were doing stuff in the cabin (not with pax aboard) and the captain fell backwards out of the opening. Broke a bone or two but otherwise fine. So, these things do happen.

[Loose rivets]

The Viscount was high for its day, and the girls used to have to reach round for the door open latch - after the steps had been hauled away.

[mitzy69]

know a few catering people fall from a B747 door height whilst trying to open the door from the catering truck, they both died.

[AirWasp]

Not quite 'on thread' but seeing as stairs have been mentioned ...

I recall the inaugural Polar Air flight into MAN .... the aircraft pulled hard left to park on Cargo Ramp and I assume there was a slope as he had to engage a bit of thrust .... not taking into account the aircraft parked behind him at the Pax Terminal ...

A set of steps that had been full of boarding passengers only minutes before were blown over completely ... luckily no-one was injured

Being a mere 'freightdog' I never did hear what happened !

[Lord Amberden]

I was in Rome last year and our Swiss colleagues on the next stand had both service doors open, in complete breach of SOPs and any thought with regard to common sense. :eek:

[scrubba]

Lord Amberden,

I'm confused. Whose SOPs were breached?

And is there some rule about how many doors can be open at the same time?

[Lord Amberden]

To clarify, both service doors were open, but with no steps in place.

[stator vane]

it was a loss for the pilot to fall...but what new rules can be added onto the already too long list when one falls down the steps and hurts themselves? getting out of bed has it's risks...as well as staying in bed...

[reracked]

Ah yes, but the risks caused by staying in bed can sometimes be more than justified ;)

[Landflap]

The things we do ! Colleague of mine recalled when working as a gypsie pilot that in doing a one eighty on a limited width runway, SOP had the Co-pilot standing at the OPEN R1 door (B767), hanging on to the grab handles &, on the RT, informing the Capt whether or not the R mainwheels were just on the edge ! My mate refused to endanger the lives of his First Officers and had no problems in swinging round the aircraft in accordance with well laid down & illustrated Boeing practice.Ignoring Company SOPs , he was twice reported by ambitious First Officers and interviewed. He jumped into his car & raced up the Goddard pass shortly thereafter !

[bvcu]

Very sad accident, but reading everything on this post , dont see a lot of relevance to this. If you are closing the door and the ground staff have already removed steps/bridge/catering truck then one little slip/trip and you are on the tarmac.

[Airbus_a321]

And to all of those "aviators" who are crying for implementing a SOP now so to avoid that someone steps out of the door, without having steps.

How $tupid must you be guys. What a rubi$$h :zzz:
I know all of you will be unable to pilot an aircraft without having 1000's of SOPs - Right ?:mad:
Hopefully you have SOPs for your daily life also :}

[2604]

Eventhough the journalists are saying he was closing the door:

-We do not know if he was closing the door or not
-We do not know whether he knew or not that the stairs had been removed.

Some SOPs like "do not remove the steps without alerting the crew" could have made a difference that evening.

The journalists are also saying it was a passenger flight. NO it was a ferry flight (back from maintenance).

[profexpat]

SAS Station Manager Mikelson also suffered fatal fall, approx. 1981-82. Air stairs had been removed from DC8 prior to him backing out of a/c front door, anticipating air stairs were still in place. Different a/p to current one at Amman - strange that similar accidents occur at same city location.

[Typhoon650]

[QUOTE Airbus a321]And to all of those "aviators" who are crying for implementing a SOP now so to avoid that someone steps out of the door, without having steps.

How $tupid must you be guys. What a rubi$$h http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/sleep.gif
I know all of you will be unable to pilot an aircraft without having 1000's of SOPs - Right ?http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/censored.gif
Hopefully you have SOPs for your daily life also http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/badteeth.gif [QUOTE]

SOP's aren't only for the people in white, crispy shirts.
SOP's are really useful in ground handling where staff turnover is high, due to poor pay, long hours and back of clock operations, where things need to be part of a routine lest they be forgotten.
If an SOP can help ensure a door is closed when I've moved away from an aircraft and take away that little hole in the cheese that could seriously injure or kill someone, why not have it and use it?

[dignified]

DGCA, DHMI and other governmental offices belonging to MoT, have implemented changes recently to the duty & flight time limitations, as well as the mandatory minimum rest periods for airlines under a TC reg in Turkey.
I.E.- 2+2+1+1+1 days off a month; 36hrs/week; 210hrs/mo Duty, etc makes it clear that this chaps are in deplorable working conditions, no time for lifestyle, friends or family. Perhaps the most frustrating issue is lack of freedom of expression, from journalists been jailed, to other ex-military members who participated on the Ergenekon issue being arrested. One thing remains clear, anyone willing to join a Turkish carrier as an airman is facing an infamous regime, and a proud society that to this day denies atrocities of the past.:ugh:

[suninmyeyes]

I was in Rome last year and our Swiss colleagues on the next stand had both service doors open,

A case of the Swiss cheese holes lined up?

[PH-SCP]

A few months ago I had the opportunity to meet Olivier Mester when he took his English Language Examination in Maastricht.
He was one of the nicest people I met and he talked passionately about his job with Onur Air, flying the A300-600 and he showed a true interest in other people. He served the aviation community in many areas and I am sure that his laughter and wit will be missed dearly.

[BaronChotzinoff]

As a layman reading this, and while my sympathies go to friends and families of all victims, I can't help wondering where H&S fits in with all these SOPs, or are you guys left to sort it all out for yourselves? I'd have thought they would have had a field day, really, and I'd certainly assumed that the dayglo jackets airline staff having to wear was all their work, the same way I heaved a huge sigh of relief when finally the lunchtime minders in the primary school playground opposite from my house started wearing the same, thus preventing for sure an even worse fate befalling them than falling out of an aircraft.

[hetfield]

Seems to be some really bad luck with TC-OAG

Accident: Onur A306 at Jeddah on May 1st 2012, landed without nose gear (http://avherald.com/h?article=44ede1e7&opt=0)


http://avherald.com/img/onur_a306_tc-oag_jeddah_120501_1.jpg

[TURIN]

And to all of those "aviators" who are crying for implementing a SOP now so to avoid that someone steps out of the door, without having steps.

Yes, a much better idea is to leave everyone to their fate and watch the bodies pile up. :ugh:

SOP on Big Airways. No door shall be opened or closed without an appropriate stand/steps in place.

If the caterers or steps move away and leave the door open. Get them back, then shut the door.
Do not open the door until the steps/caterers etc are in position.

By the way that little strap that so many feel is a safe way of protecting personel from the open doorway is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

[Basil]

Turin, Hear, hear!

I envy Airbus_a321 his confidence.
Nah, just joking :)

[CI300]

Take the sop a bit further; Door shall only be open or closed by ground staff.
That way, the stairs/steps/bridge must be in place anytime the door is moved. Subtle, but very effective.

If it was a non-revenue flight, it pays to refer to some u.s. research that indicates a third of fatalities on all part 121 operations occur on non-revenue operations.

The point being, we tend to let our guard down when its not a scheduled flight..

[IcePack]

All very well until you have no APU or GND AirCon. & the cabin is hitting 40c.
Ah well there goes the the SOP!

[givemewings]

Some operators use door nets rather than straps, not only in the hangar. Good idea if you ask me.

At my operator we have the 'no door to be left open w/o steps/truck' rule but it is frequently ignored (and duly reported) A lot comes down to the training and 'care factor' of the ground staff on duty.

I have also heard of a 'paper procedure' at certain operators whereby steps cannot be removed without a signed slip from the cabin crew onboard. I would guess these are the operators that have suffered similar accidents and have learnt from the experience.

SOP is there for a reason, especially when you're dead tired after an ultra-long-haul flight and following them is the only thing between you and a hard landing on the pavement! Being trained properly at my first airline to always hold the handle definitely saved me at a second- wind took the door as we were closing up and I am certain I'd have gone out had I not been following the SOP. Colleagues now laugh at me because I always hold on whenever near the door but you'd be crazy not to at the heights we're talking... imagine going up a 3 story building, standing on the parapet and not holding onto something- just asking for a problem.

(Note, I am in no way saying this is what the poor pilot did/did not do, just adding to the discussion on door SOP)

[T-21]

Its quite a long way to the ground from a Lockheed Constellation. In the days of piston aircraft there must have been more incidents.

[G3]

This happenned to me a number of years ago. I had just brought in B727 from YUL to YYZ. A very bad ice storm had just gone through. Much clear on the decent into YYZ. The airfield, rwy's, taxiways and ramps were a complete skating rink. This wouldn't be complete if we hadn't had the winds blowing close to 40 kt.s. As Captain after a very long day including the divert to YUL coming in from BGI, I was the last off the aircraft. Maintenance hadn't shown yet (Hockey game on the TV). I was about step from the Aircraft onto the jetway, if I hadn't have looked down just then, I would have fallen to the ice covered ramp. The aircraft was light, no pax, bags and little fuel; the wind pushed the aircraft away from the jetway with the ice on the ramp even though we were chalked. A good 3 ft. gap existed between the aircraft and the jetway. So even at the gate, you have to have your wits about you.

[greybeard]

Does anyone know if this Pilot was working at Delta Air Transport in Antwerp 1991/93 (was the time for me), same name at least.

Damn Shame, so easy to happen, so hard to prevent

:confused:

[Halton Brat]

Not too long ago, I was looking after B747 Classic Freighters at LGG. Following a night arrival, I noticed that the Door 1 stairs were incorrectly positioned & requested that they be re-positioned. Knowing that the crew were still upstairs, I told the handling guys that I would go & stand in the open doorway to prevent an accident of the type we are discussing here.

As I lifted my leg to climb into the doorway, the stairs shot out from under me, powered by a frustrated Belgique F1 driver & his small tug. My lifted foot hit the fuselage below sill level, & I was going down. My guardian angel got my hands onto the floor-mounted side rail just inside the door in the nick of time; the stairs were gone in a flash. I'm now dangling in free space above the concrete, but with the strength born of fear I pulled myself up into the jet & lay there gasping like a beached whale.

My subsequent one-way chat with the handling guys required the extremeties of my vocabulary & would make a Trooper blush. I was well bruised in the legs & not walking well for a week or so ( I was just about to start my rostered-off time! ).

Lessons learned:

Even after 40yrs in this business, I can still get bitten.
I will never go up a stairs again that is hooked up to a tug.
I was bloody lucky not to get badly hurt/totalled.
I must expect the unexpected from some Ramp staff.

Stay safe out there; more people die on Airport Ramps than in the mining industry, I believe............

[riverrock83]

Stay safe out there; more people die on Airport Ramps than in the mining industry, I believe............

A quote from wikipedia about china:
In 2006, according to the State Work Safety Supervision Administration, 4,749 Chinese coal miners were killed in thousands of blasts, floods, and other accidents. For example, a gas explosion at the Nanshan Colliery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanshan_Colliery_disaster) killed 24 people on November 13, 2006; the mine was operating without any safety license and the Xinhua News Agency (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xinhua_News_Agency) claimed the cause was incorrect usage of explosives. However, the 2006 rate was 20.1% less than 2005 despite an 8.1% increase in production.[8] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_accident#cite_note-7)So you might need to change your beliefs!

[Halton Brat]

Thanks for that RR, I think I'm quoting from a report which excluded the Asian/African mining industry, for the reasons you show in your post. I know that the mining industry has a very strong safety culture in countries outside of such regions.

Funnily enough, as I was dangling out of the door by my newly-manicured fingernails, I was actually contemplating such statistics............

[riverrock83]

fair enough - I was trying to decide whether you were being tongue in cheek or not :ok:

[oliver2002]

I had to think of this thread last week as I was waiting in BRU: on the opposite pier 9W aircraft were lined up to be serviced with all doors wide open:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L7WDm4l0RHc/T9vUjB9F98I/AAAAAAAAA6U/nzRgDLNpdJk/s640/DSCN1167.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-QDJMp3chFPk/T9vUj2N5pjI/AAAAAAAAA6k/Bul_7oiZnl0/s640/DSCN1169.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6KXHyYFbbpM/T9vUjZ-vWFI/AAAAAAAAA6c/mhLnqOBHzAQ/s640/DSCN1168.JPG

What caught my attention was that on two aircraft the FA was trying to close the door after the catering truck had left. They struggled a few times, but then gave up and just put the little (fig leaf) strap. :rolleyes:

[Typhoon650]

Those photos are eye opening. Not only is there a risk to personnel leaving cabin doors open, but it also adds risk when using high lift trucks to cater the aircraft. It's really not that difficult to bring the truck up a little too high and it would be very easy on a truck with a full width platform to nudge the bottom of the door, or worse. Hell, even on a very blustery day, it's possible for the door to contact the platform, which is allowed for by leaving the platform lower and slightly further away. I've seen aircraft bounce up and down 10-15cm relative to the platform before and yaw almost the same amount.
Even on a half cab truck, the safety rails could hook up under the door.
High lift trucks should never be driven up to aircraft with open doors, far too many risks involved for both people and aircraft.
I am really surprised that those catering trucks are operated by Lufthansa, I thought ze Germans would have had a little more common sense?

[Sky Slug]

There was a story several years ago about a elderly passenger boarding a CO flight at LIM or UIO and simply walking through the galley of a 757 and falling to his death through the galley service door. There is a reason why flight attendants aren't killed by "open door." They treat any door that is opened with respect. They look. We sometimes don't.

[givemewings]

Re: photos... precisely why many operators have a policy whereby catering are responsible to close the doors when they leave, not fa's. I still hold the handle when standing by an open door, even with steps/truck in place