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F5PPu6kGqj t1_j5m5kqo wrote

> the ground crew huddled shortly before the Embraer jet arrived at the gate to note that engines would remain running until the plane was connected to ground power, and the plane shouldn’t be approached until the engines were shut down and pilots turned off the beacon light.

They knew the engine was still running.

> A co-worker who saw an Alabama airport employee nearly knocked over by exhaust from a jet tried to warn her to stay back, but moments later the employee walked in front of one of the engines and was pulled in, killing her on Dec. 31, federal investigators said Monday.

Getting knocked over by the exhaust and so they walked around the front.

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taemyks t1_j5miv83 wrote

That's pretty fucked. How does someone's mental process allow that to happen, assuming they're sober and not suffering a health condition?

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Snowypinkrose t1_j5mkcba wrote

There's a lot that goes on on the ground, girlfriend used to help marshall large aircraft. When she talks about all the things they had to do on time and with a surprising amount of precision pretty close to the aircraft, in all sorts of weather, sometimes on almost no sleep... I could see how all those, plus a bad day or she just wasn't as sharp as normal that day, would result in something horrific.

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taemyks t1_j5moik4 wrote

I can imagine. I used to do labor on 12 hour shifts, and you do get loopy when completely wrung out.

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piTehT_tsuJ t1_j5nd2xs wrote

I loaded cargo for Emery Air in the early 90's. Two shifts a day, there we're many ways to get hurt or killed if you didn't pay attention. In the summer it was hot as fuck and the jet exhaust would make you dizzy. In the winter it was colder than fuck and trying to stay warm on the tarmac was almost impossible. The noise is pretty insane as well. I wore some pretty good hearing protection and backed that up with ear plugs. Spooled up at idle on the tarmac near a DC-8 you couldn't hear shit hand signals and knowing what was going on around you and why was vital for your safety. At times it was a fun job and others miserable, but I guarantee one thing, I was always aware and respected those engines when they we're spooled up. I made a very large arc around the front and never even thought about walking behind them. Watched a single DC-8 engine suck a huge puddle off the tarmac 10' to 15' in front of it one night and it was one of the craziest sights. It also showed me why you don't walk in front of an operating jet engine. Unfortunately this person made two bad decisions that night, one that killed them. Getting knocked on your ass by the exhaust should have been the moment they realized it was time to move away from the aircraft, maybe she was concussed and disoriented after going behind it.

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Jeau_Jeau t1_j5ncwuc wrote

This. My boyfriend and I used to work at a smaller airport and have pulled an absurd number of new people out of the way of engines, both jet and piston. Tunnel vision is very real and getting the job done erases the reality of the machines.

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