A baggage handler was killed in a horrific accident at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) in the United States when an Embraer ERJ-175LR aircraft was preparing for departure at the gate.
The accident happened at around 3.00 pm (UTC) on December 31, 2022, when the Embraer ERJ-175LR narrow-body jet, owned by American Airlines subsidiary Envoy Air, was preparing for take off for a scheduled regional passenger flight AA-3408 connecting Montgomery (MGM) and Dallas (DFW), the Flightradar24.com data suggests.
According to the MGM airport management statement, the four-year-old aircraft registered N264NN was preparing to leave the gate when the Piedmont Airlines ground crew employee was suddenly ingested into its left engine. Unfortunately, the baggage handler immediately died.
“A Piedmont Airlines team member was involved in a fatal accident at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM). Our thoughts and prayers are with our colleague’s family and friends. We have mobilized our CARE team to provide support to our colleague’s family, friends, and co-workers,” the statement reads.
Following the overwhelming accident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation.
The MGM airport was closed for several hours.
As of January 2, 2023, the plane remains on the ground.