A ground crew employee was killed in what is being described as an industrial accident at a central Alabama airport on Saturday.
The Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) said an employee with American Airlines/Piedmont Airlines died in an accident at the airport before 3 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told Fox News Digital the employee was killed on the ramp at the airport where American Airlines Flight 3408, an Embraer E175 twin-jet, was parked. Data on FlightAware showed the flight was scheduled to depart from Gate 4 in Montgomery for Dallas-Fort Worth Saturday afternoon.
Reuters reported two people briefed on the incident said the employee, who was a baggage handler, died in “an accident involving one of the airplane’s engines that was running.”
MGM Executive Director Wade Davis said the airport is saddened by the tragic loss of a team member.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this difficult time,” Davis added.
The airport initially grounded all outbound and inbound flights, but resumed normal operations at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Passengers who experienced flight changes because of the accident were asked to check with their airline carrier for the latest updates.
MGM is a civil-military airport that offers non-stop flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth and Washington, D.C.
American and Delta airlines both operate out of the airport on a daily basis.