A mechanic reportedly lost his life after being sucked into a running engine during routine maintenance work on a Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) 737-500 at Iran's Char Bahar international airport.
What Happened: The aircraft, owned by Iranian domestic airline Varesh Airlines, had landed safely at Char Bahar after a flight from Tehran, Bild reported on Wednesday. Following the safe disembarkation of all passengers and crew, local mechanic Abolfazl Amiri began his routine maintenance work.
The accident took place when the right engine was initiated for a test run with the cover flaps open. Amiri, who had left a tool on the engine, returned to collect it and was sucked into the running CFM56 engine. The engine subsequently ignited, and despite the immediate response of the airport fire brigade, Amiri could not be saved.
Boeing has yet to respond to the queries emailed by Benzinga.
Iran's aviation authority has started an investigation into the tragic incident. The Boeing aircraft will be grounded for a week for repairs following the fire. This incident comes on the heels of a similar one in May at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, where a man was sucked into a running turbine of an Embraer aircraft, later determined to be a suicide.
Why It Matters: This accident adds to the woes of Boeing, which recently agreed to plead guilty to criminal conspiracy for allegedly misleading the Federal Aviation Administration about the safety of its 737 MAX. The company has agreed to pay up to $487.2 million in criminal fines and spend at least $455 million to improve its compliance and safety programs over the next three years.
Despite the guilty plea and the hefty fine, experts predict that the impact on Boeing will be minimal. Boeing's stock price, credit rating, and U.S. government revenue are predicted to remain unaffected.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Boeing was trading 0.25% higher at $183.70 in the pre-market on Wednesday after closing at $183.24 on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro.
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