Engineer sucked into 737-700 engine
Thread Starter
Engineer sucked into 737-700 engine
3.44am Tuesday morning
Engineer sucked into an Air Astana 737-700 turbine
Sheremetyevo-2 Moscow
My condolences - a sad event.
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2004/07/15/012.html
Engineer sucked into an Air Astana 737-700 turbine
Sheremetyevo-2 Moscow
My condolences - a sad event.
http://www.moscowtimes.ru/stories/2004/07/15/012.html
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Again the low slung engines of the 737 confirm why they are unfondly known as meat grinders. 
Poor chap, a terrible fate.
How often do 737 drivers here find the holds being opened by ground handlers before the strobes have been switched off?
Poor chap, a terrible fate.
How often do 737 drivers here find the holds being opened by ground handlers before the strobes have been switched off?
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loaders opening the holds early happens less often. i remember years ago an engineer lost his arm in palma having being sucked in by a LX 732 doing a run up. The 732s have a bad reputation as a meat grinder. Any one seen discovery channel where a chap is sucked into an intruder on a ships deck and and lived ....amazing
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dartlylou, my first thought would be carelessness on the part of the individual. After all, there are strict rules regarding approaching an aircraft as we all know.
However, there is not enough information to make a proper judgement, plus it isn't our job to do so.
Though given the location of the incident, nationality of the deceased and nationality of the airline involved, I can see how things might develop.
However, there is not enough information to make a proper judgement, plus it isn't our job to do so.
Though given the location of the incident, nationality of the deceased and nationality of the airline involved, I can see how things might develop.
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dartlylou
An extremely sad occurrence and we will obviously not know exactly what happened until an official report is published.
Regarding your post though,the 737 engines on the later series are very quiet and produce a different thrust profile to the early low bypass ( almost straight jet ) series engines,compound that with the fact the guy was probably wearing ear defenders at the time and it was in darkness at about 4am.
Further the inlet velocity on these high bypass engines follows the square law formula very well,mainly i believe because of the area of the intakes,that all means at 5 metres he may have felt ok but at 4 it could have been irreversible ( again depending on the thrust applied ).
Like some of the posts here i have often wondered how many of the loaders for these aircraft have avoided an accident,regardless of that i can only hope this incident was mercifully quick.
An extremely sad occurrence and we will obviously not know exactly what happened until an official report is published.
Regarding your post though,the 737 engines on the later series are very quiet and produce a different thrust profile to the early low bypass ( almost straight jet ) series engines,compound that with the fact the guy was probably wearing ear defenders at the time and it was in darkness at about 4am.
Further the inlet velocity on these high bypass engines follows the square law formula very well,mainly i believe because of the area of the intakes,that all means at 5 metres he may have felt ok but at 4 it could have been irreversible ( again depending on the thrust applied ).
Like some of the posts here i have often wondered how many of the loaders for these aircraft have avoided an accident,regardless of that i can only hope this incident was mercifully quick.
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Sad occurrance indeed and one I do not wish to even think about.The biggest engines we get at EGAC are A321 IAE engines and I always like to stay outside the 3m warning painted on their sides whilst oing a pushback.
Condolences must go out to the family.
Regards
Condolences must go out to the family.
Regards
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In the bad old days, ground engineers (or anyone else involved with aircraft movements) were taught how to approach a parked aircraft. In the helter-skelter environment of today's operating conditions such training is even more vital for survival, but it's seldom given. However, engine danger areas are clearly set out in Flight Ops, Engineering and Ground Handling manuals and they are prominently displayed on engine cowlings.
Survival Rule 1: If engines are running, stay clear.
Survival Rule 1: If engines are running, stay clear.
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A very sad but regretablly very common occurance and engineers are exposed to this danger often as part of their jobs. Especially after maintenance when a leak check is required most companies have a restraint system available but often this is not used I've seen many engineers carrying out leak checks with out this equipment due to time pressure placed on them!
Please don't read this as speculation in this very sad case mu thoughts are with the fellows family!
Seem to remember a case in the 80's at British Aerospace when an engineer was sucked into a 146 didn't those things had enough pull to do that just goes to show how dangerous jet engines can be!
Please don't read this as speculation in this very sad case mu thoughts are with the fellows family!
Seem to remember a case in the 80's at British Aerospace when an engineer was sucked into a 146 didn't those things had enough pull to do that just goes to show how dangerous jet engines can be!
Many years ago a BCal 747 taxied before awaiting clearance from the two engineers carrying out the pushback. The two engineers had to dive to the ground and hang on to each other as the no.2 engine passed over their heads!
No fault of their own, they were severly shaken, however the 747 capt was, I believe dismissed.
Some years later a colleague of mine was almost run over by the left prop of an ATP, again the Captain failed to wait for the all clear from the ground engineer before taxying.
There are many ways to get sucked into an engine. The details of this 737 case will (I hope) be a warning to us all!
No fault of their own, they were severly shaken, however the 747 capt was, I believe dismissed.
Some years later a colleague of mine was almost run over by the left prop of an ATP, again the Captain failed to wait for the all clear from the ground engineer before taxying.
There are many ways to get sucked into an engine. The details of this 737 case will (I hope) be a warning to us all!
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The old 737-200 has large stator vanes in front of the fan. All other models of 737 don't, they just have the fan inside the cowling, so once getting sucked in, there is nothing to hang onto to stop you. Engineers have survived a 'close encounter' with a -200 Pratt & Whitney engine because you could hang on long enough at low power pushing yourself out from the stator vanes until someone shut down. Horrible way to go, but mercifully instant.
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How far do you have to go near the engine to be sucked in, i mean just goes to show how dangerous a plane can be.
737 engines are quite small so god knows what it would of been like if it was a 777 or 747.
737 engines are quite small so god knows what it would of been like if it was a 777 or 747.
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I think within about 5 metres at idle power 180 degrees around the front of the engine, you are in trouble. The danger is if you lean or fall into the airflow, you get influenced by the pull, so you lose your balance immediately and it just gets worse. There is some video somewhere of someone having a close encounter with a BAe146.
How far do you have to go near the engine to be sucked in
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Bearcat, I have seen the clip you refer to, I believe his helmet caused the fan blades to disintegrate so it was that which saved him, but he did have some sort of head injuries, just not too severe. It appears to be evidence of what people have been saying on this and related threads, there can literally be inches between apparent safety and being sucked in since he disappeared down the engine in the blink of an eye. I wonder how close some people are willing to get to these things when I see ground crews waiting to chock aicraft, it makes me feel edgy being so close to it since the first time you misjudge it is usually the last as well.
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Very sad event.
Another point to consider is ear defenders themselves. Wearing them no doubt provides aural protection. However, from a personal perspective, they create a feeling of detachment from events around one; it is like being a spectator rather than a participant.
Another point to consider is ear defenders themselves. Wearing them no doubt provides aural protection. However, from a personal perspective, they create a feeling of detachment from events around one; it is like being a spectator rather than a participant.
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Indeed, a very sad piece of news. For those of you wondering about the pull of a trent 800 or equivalent, wait for a good shower. Even at gorund idle you can see the water off the ground get sucked in. Looks a bit like water spouts. I've seen this a couple of times, and really makes you think.
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Extremely sad occurence.
Out of interest, next time you see a 737-500 pushback carried out using a traditional tug and tow bar, look how close the engines are to the push back operative walking beside the nose of the aircraft. I've done it, and it's very easy to get too close to the intakes.
Out of interest, next time you see a 737-500 pushback carried out using a traditional tug and tow bar, look how close the engines are to the push back operative walking beside the nose of the aircraft. I've done it, and it's very easy to get too close to the intakes.
The engineer was on pushback duty, the aircraft had engines running. As the aircraft was pushed back he was forward of the tug as the aircraft was turned, this therefore seriously reduced safety distance between himself and the intake. The pushback took the form of a maximum turn angle, the engineer remained in his forward walking position, the engine became too close and the tradegy occurred. This is from a colleague in 4L.