Montgomery airport closes after American Airlines employee killed
An American Airlines ground crew employee was killed in an accident on the ramp at Montgomery Regional Airport around 2:20 p.m. Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family,” the airport wrote in a message on social media Saturday night.
The identity of the person killed in the accident has not yet been released.
“We are saddened to learn of the tragic loss of a team member at AA/Piedmont Airlines,” said Wade A. Davis, CEO of MGM. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time.”
First responders were on the scene, and the airport was expected to be closed until sometime Sunday, according to the FAA. All flights out and in via Montgomery have been stopped until further notice, according to the airport.
The accident occurred at the site of a parked Embraer E175 for American Airlines flight 3408, operated by regional airline Envoy Air. The flight had been scheduled for a 15:51 departure to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, but the flight was canceled following the incident.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board investigate, which is standard for aviation-related accidents involving injuries and deaths. The FAA said the NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide further updates.
According to the airport, all passengers with scheduled flights should check directly with American Airlines for status changes.
This is a development story. Check back for more information as it becomes available.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel at sheupel@gannett.com
