Officials launch probe after Delta Airlines contactor gets incinerated by airplane engine in San Antonio

Update: The Bexar County Medical Examiner’s office said that 27-year-old ground worker David Renner died of blunt and sharp-force injuries, and his death was listed as a suicide.

Officials are investigating the death of a member of the San Antonio International Airport ground crew after they were sucked into the engine of a Delta Airlines plane on Friday following its arrival from Los Angeles. 

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not released the name of the worker but said in a statement, "Delta Flight 1111 was taxiing to the gate, with one engine on at that time, and a worker was ingested into that engine at 10:25 p.m." 

"The NTSB has been in contact with Delta. They are in the information-gathering process at this point," it said. 

According to Kens 5, the individual was employed by Unifi Aviation, which Delta Airlines contracts with to handle ground operations. Delta said in a statement, "We are heartbroken and grieving the loss of an aviation family member’s life in San Antonio. Our hearts and full support are with their family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time."

"Unifi Aviation is deeply saddened by the loss of our employee at San Antonio International Airport during a tragic incident in the late hours of Friday, June 23, 2023," Unifi Aviation said in a statement. "Our hearts go out to the family of the deceased, and we remain focused on supporting our employees on the ground and ensuring they are being taken care of during this time."

"From our initial investigation, this incident was unrelated to Unifi’s operational processes, safety procedures, and policies. Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be sharing any additional information. While police and other officials continue to investigate this incident, we defer to them on providing further details," the company added. 

The Guardian noted that the circumstances around the tragedy are reminiscent of a December incident where a Montgomery, Alabama, airport worker had been pulled into a plane engine because she did not wait for it to cool down. The Occupation Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) issued Piedmont, an American Airlines subsidiary, a $15,000 fine for the incident.