Cannabis Found in Toxicology Report of Ramp Agent Killed By Jet

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recently published its findings on a 2022 incident when a ramp agent was sucked into the engine of an American Eagle jet. Post-mortem testing revealed cannabis use and other potential cognitive impairments in the victim.

The incident occurred on December 31, 2022. An American Eagle Embraer E175, registered N264NN, made an uneventful flight and landed at Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) before being guided to the ramp. Since an auxiliary power unit (APU) was inoperative, the pilots were required to leave the number one engine running and wait for ground power.

Piedmont Airlines ramp agents were dispatched to support the aircraft on the ground. Before it arrived, they went over safety precautions and assigned roles. Part of this was making sure to stay a proper distance, listed as 15 feet by American Eagle, away from the aircraft until the pilots shut down the engines and turned off the red beacon.

Once the aircraft arrived at its gate, the captain watched a ‘FAIL’ notification pop up on the engine display before experiencing harsh vibrations. The pilots then noticed that the left-hand engine was no longer running and realized that one of the ground workers had been ingested.

The NTSB and FAA immediately opened an investigation on the incident, evaluating “the accident ramp agent’s training and American Eagle’s procedures, her medical conditions and toxicology results, and her judgment.” The NTSB then spoke with the lead ramp agent who was working when the incident occurred.

“Notably, he tried to warn her, while she was at the back of the airplane, to move away from the operating engine. Thus, the accident ramp agent’s training and the operator’s procedures were not factors in this accident.”

The post-mortem analysis found several potential contributors. The ramp agent had relapsing or remitting multiple sclerosis, which can cause cognitive impairment. The agent was also on medication for diabetes and “had used a cannabis product,” as indicated by the presence of delta-9 and delta-8 in her toxicology report.

"Cannabis has the potential to cause cognitive and psychomotor impairment and can worsen cognitive impairment in individuals with multiple sclerosis,” the report stated. “However, a person’s blood concentration of delta-9-THC does not directly predict that person’s impairment.”

FMI: www.ntsb.gov