Another China Air problem

[stickyb]

Just heard a brief report on the local TV that an Air China flight was delayed after a mechanic was sucked into the engine as the plane was taxiing for takeoff. No other details, but they did say that suicide hadn't been ruled out.
Anybody else heard anything?

[Guide Michelin]

stickyb:

Would that be China Airlines or Air China?

[stickyb]

Sorry, GM, I think it was Air China. I only caught half the broadcast

[Alpha Leader]

Haven't seen or heard anything from this side of the Formosa Straits, but that would not be surprising.

[AeroBoero]

Saw on some news that they are considering to be a suicide....geeezz people are getting more original in way to end their lives. :( :mad:
It happened at Osaka if the press got a bit right.:rolleyes:

[PaperTiger]

edited because the link is blocked
AP wire story (fair use):
APRIL 18, 11:14 ET
Mechanic Sucked Into Air China Engine

TOKYO (AP) — A Chinese mechanic was killed Thursday after he was sucked into one of the engines of an Air China jet as it pulled away from the airport gate, officials said.

Air China flight 928, carrying 211 passengers and seven crew, was to take off from Osaka's Kansai International Airport for Beijing when the incident occurred, said Junichi Odawara of the Kansai airport police.

The plane's engine was badly damaged and the flight was canceled, he said.

Odawara said witnesses saw the man sprint to one of the plane's wing engines, which pulled him in with the force of its rotating turbines.

Hiroshi Kato, another airport police official, said investigators were investigating the possibility that the man, identified as 39-year-old Zhang Xinmin, committed suicide.

Air China officials weren't immediately available for comment.

Kansai airport officials said there were no other flights to Beijing Thursday, and that passengers were expected to stay in Japan overnight.

[GeofJ]

Seems like a pretty grim way to check out if that turns out to be what it was! I would think there are much better ways to go than hacked to death by fan blades!

[SeldomFixit]

Suicide ?? Oh please !!!!!!!!!! - let's wait for SOME form of enquirey that didn't have it's origins in Salem !!
Perhaps this poor chap noticed a bolt on the ground, a piece of tarmac junk blowing towards the engine and he rushed to retreive it, totally losing his situational awareness and unfortunately, his life. I had a JT9 light off on just the N2 once - fan was locked solid. It was a number 3 engine and before I had even a hint of what was happening a mechanic rushed to the inlet/ leant way in and tried to turn the fan !!!!!!!
Guess what ? the thing unlocked and took off like a scalded cat. People do the most unlikely and in some cases, stupid things. On occasion they get away with it, on others' they die.
My thoughts for the family of this poor industry coleague.
Let the investigators work it out please, you normally do when a driver screws it right royally.

[lomapaseo]

There is no way a person can lean into the inlet of a JT9D and reach the fan blades to even consider turning them.

Perhaps the mechanic was simply trying to look and not reach.

[SeldomFixit]

This isn't a pi$$ing contest son - I was there - end of section.
The mechanic was feet off the ground, gut on inlet.

[JW411]

It is also not unknown for an aeroplane to start taxying out with the poor chap still plugged into the interphone. Out of sight - out of mind. It should never happen but it does.

[waterops]

Hey Mr Fixit,

Never operated a JT9 myself, but I woulda thought N1 rotation is a prerequisite for the introduction of fuel. I seem to recall this being the case on the CFM 56 but then, I may've been pissed.

Musta been QF...

[HotDog]

Only if you have an inoperatrive N2 indicator, in which case you position the start lever to idle (rich) at 03% N1. It is quite possible to have a light off at max motoring N2 without an indication of N1. However, you are expected to abort the start if there is no indication of N1, 30 seconds after fuel cutback. In many cases the ground engineer calls N1 rotation during engine start.