Airline Ground Crew Employee Dies At San Antonio Airport

[ChicoG]

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the incident happened on Friday at around 10:25 p.m. when Delta Flight 1111 arrived at the San Antonio International Airport from Los Angeles and was taxiing to the gate on one engine. That's when a worker was ingested into the engine.

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/local/san-antonio-airport-worker-dies-in-tragic-accident

[Rie]

Not good. Messages suggest that co-workers found a note was left and it was possibly an intentional act.

[Koan]

Not good. Messages suggest that co-workers found a note was left and it was possibly an intentional act.

There was one in the 1990s with a prop. So unexplainable considering the individuals' experience and character some surmised it might have been a way to check out whilst making appearance of accident

[KRviator]

Not good. Messages suggest that co-workers found a note was left and it was possibly an intentional act.I guess the lesson is: If you are planning on killing yourself and want it to "look" like an accident, don't leave a note....:ouch:

[BFSGrad]

Bexar County Medical Examiner ruled on Monday that the worker’s death was ruled a suicide.

New update... (https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/new-update-on-worker-who-was-fatally-ingested-into-engine-at-san-antonio-international-airport/ar-AA1d3VAv)

[RatherBeFlying]

The first responders, pathologists, ​​​morticians and relatives will be much less distressed if you jump off a bridge, and your last moments will be less excruciating.

[DaveReidUK]

The first responders, pathologists, ​​​morticians and relatives will be much less distressed if you jump off a bridge, and your last moments will be less excruciating.

I'm guessing you have never felt suicidal, if you believe that any of those consideration are uppermost in the mind of someone who does.

[Dog on Cat3]

My thoughts exactly. Too many ppruners these days think posting more important than contributing. Shame!

[OvertHawk]

I have great sympathy and compassion for those who are so devoid of hope that they take their own lives. It is tragic

I also have great sympathy for the poor souls who have to deal with the aftermath and the consequences. It is horrific in any case. This case will be especially traumatic for those who witnessed it and are involved in the aftermath.

The tragedy of suicide does not end with the act - it opens a new chapter for many people.

Take care folks
OH

[atakacs]

What an odd way to take your life...

[krismiler]

There is a far greater risk of ingesting something during single engine taxi, when approaching the gate with both engines running, idle thrust will usually keep you rolling along at a suitable speed with very minor brake and power applications needed.

However when taxiing on one engine, significant power applications are needed if you let the speed get to low or have to come to a stop and start moving again.

[Jonty]

There is a far greater risk of ingesting something during single engine taxi, when approaching the gate with both engines running, idle thrust will usually keep you rolling along at a suitable speed with very minor brake and power applications needed.

However when taxiing on one engine, significant power applications are needed if you let the speed get to low or have to come to a stop and start moving again.

while not particularly relevant to the topic, I do agree with you.

[Big Pistons Forever]

I feel for the crew that is going to dismantle the engine for the FOD repair. That is going to be very sad work.

[megan]

What an odd way to take your life...Not really, when you make the decision you take whatever door is open, no logic attached. Anyone who has stood on the precipice understands.

[KRviator]

I feel for the crew that is going to dismantle the engine for the FOD repair. That is going to be very sad work.Not that different to our brake examiners and fitters who have to dig out body parts from under the traction motors or brake rigging of our rollingstock, sadly. It's one thing if you're a firey or paramedic, but you don't expect to be subjected to something like that in an overhaul shop.

Makes me wonder if they'd be better off simply scrapping the engine than put staff through such an experience, though the logical side of me says the core likely suffered little to no damage and the beancounter mindset would prevail.

[BFSGrad]

Makes me wonder if they'd be better off simply scrapping the engine than put staff through such an experience, though the logical side of me says the core likely suffered little to no damage and the beancounter mindset would prevail.Rather than “putting staff through such an experience,” just designate this engine inspection/repair as a volunteer (I don't mean unpaid) maintenance action. There are many folks in society that frequently deal with this type of fatality aftermath; e.g., police, fire/EMT, doctors, restoration services, etc.

[megan]

There are many folks in society that frequently deal with this type of fatality aftermath; e.g., police, fire/EMT, doctors, restoration services, etc.Around here the authorities often have cleaning services available operated by private companies who deal exclusively with these type of clean ups, a woman in Melbourne who owns one such company has some 30 cleaners employed, documentary a while ago on her, never realised there was such a demand.

[WillowRun 6-3]

Even Hollywood has noted this specialty ....the character "Mr. Wolfe" in Pulp Fiction (1994, directed by Quentin Tarantino, starring John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman).

[Bergerie1]

Suicide like this has happened before:-
https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/237229

[tdracer]

An interesting side note - while always tragic, rather counterintuitively the rate of human ingestion events is far lower now than before the introduction of big, high bypass engines. The rate of the JT8D on the 737 Jurassic was particularly bad (although with inlet guide vans, it wasn't automatically fatal).
Apparently the risk with a big bypass engine is obvious enough to make people be automatically more cautious around them when running.

[Alpine Flyer]

There is a far greater risk of ingesting something during single engine taxi, when approaching the gate with both engines running, idle thrust will usually keep you rolling along at a suitable speed with very minor brake and power applications needed.

However when taxiing on one engine, significant power applications are needed if you let the speed get to low or have to come to a stop and start moving again.

Still not a reason to give up 1-eng taxiing. Ground staff simply has to stay clear of aircraft as long as the engines turn and the beacon is on.

[MechEngr]

If there is a 10% increase in local flow and a 50% decrease in the number of engines available for getting into, then I'd think that 1-engine is the winner. I wonder what the rate of getting run over by the food-service trucks is.

[Winemaker]

Not really, when you make the decision you take whatever door is open, no logic attached. Anyone who has stood on the precipice understands.
Here is an excerpt from Phillip K. Dick's 'Martian Time Slip' that has described, scarily, that moment so well to me.

Suddenly it came to him that he should kill himself. The idea appeared in his mind full blown, as if it had always been there, always a part of him. Easy to do it, just crash the 'copter. He thought, I am goddamn tired of being Norbert Steiner.....

In fact, he thought, why wait until I can get back to the ‘copter? Along the street came a huge, rumbling tractor-bus, the sides dull with sand; it had crossed the desert just now, was coming to New Isreal from some other settlement. Steiner set down his suitcases and ran out into the street, directly at the tractor-bus.

The bus honked; its air brakes screeched. Other traffic halted and Steiner ran forward with his head down, his eyes shut. Only at the last moment, with the sound of the air horn so loud in his ears that it became unbearably painful, did he open his eyes; he saw the driver of the bus gaping down at him, saw the steering wheel and the number on the driver’s cap. And then-


Impulse is a strange thing. I do solo mountaineering and have caution but not fear of exposure, but I really don't like to walk across high bridges or be in tall buildings, man made things. On such structures I feel like I might have an impulse to jump and am pretty grippy with railings and very uncomfortable and bail as soon as possible. But I have no concerns rappelling a face except the usual stuff you always check. Weird.

[ASH26E]

Myself also. Strapped into a hang glider, I will approach the edge of a precipice with equanimity, but not go within 10m of it without. However, despite common belief, that is the antithesis of a suicidal urge.