According to an initial report by the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB), the airline worker lost her life after getting dangerously close to the engine of the American Eagle-operated E175 jet and that she was “ingested into the engine.”
The report further states that she ignored multiple warnings to stay back from the engine while it was shutting down. According to the eye witnesses, the accident was so loud and powerful that it shook the entire aircraft.
“Courtney was a Ground handling agent for Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, a loving mother of 3 kids and wonderful daughter of her beloved mother. Please know that this tragedy has and will affect her mother, family, friends and kids for years to come,”
-Courtney Edwards GoFundMe Page
On the New Year’s Eve, Courtney Edwards, 34, who worked for Piedmont Airlines lost her life in an unfortunate accident at the Montgomery Regional Airport in Alabama. She worked as a ground agent for the airline.
According to the report, the American Eagle Ground Operation Manual instructs workers not to approach the front of a running jet engine and to keep a safe distance of fifteen feet, known as the ‘ingestion zone.’
In the last forty year, 33 people have lost their lives after getting ingested by Boeing engines, notes Popular Mechanics, an online website that covers the airline industry.
Edwards is survived by three children and a mother. A GoFundMe page set up by the family for her three kids has so far raised nearly $100,000. “Courtney was a Ground handling agent for Piedmont Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, a loving mother of 3 kids and wonderful daughter of her beloved mother. Please know that this tragedy has and will affect her mother, family, friends and kids for years to come,” the GoFundMe page notes.
Richard Honeycult, vice president of Communication Workers of America said this in a statement released on behalf of the Association, “The news of this terrible tragedy was heartbreaking. Courtney was a valued member of her team and our union. She was away from family working on New Year’s Eve making sure passengers got to where they needed to be for the holidays. She represents the very best of our CWA airport members, who constantly make sacrifices to serve the flying public.”
