OSHA ends investigation of American Airlines employee death at ABIA | Airlines

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration this week concluded its investigation into the on-duty death of an American Airlines employee at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport earlier this year, deciding the two companies named in the investigation would not face penalties, a Department of Labor spokesperson said Thursday.

American Airlines and Menzies Aviation, a U.K.-based company also linked to the Austin airport’s second work-related death this year, were subjects of the federal investigation. Menzies Aviation is one of more than a dozen ground-handling companies operating at the city-owned airport.

The federal investigation began on April 20, when Michal Ingraham, 37, crashed into one of the jet bridges connecting aircraft to Barbara Jordan Terminal. Austin police were told the ground service vehicle he was using — sometimes referred to as a pushback or a tug — had “several mechanical issues,” including a reported brake failure 10 days before that led to a guardrail collision.

Chauntra Rideaux, the Department of Labor spokesperson, said neither company was cited at the close of the investigation on Oct. 30.

The scope of OSHA’s investigation and to what degree its findings lined up with those of Austin police is not clear. Rideaux did not answer other questions about the OSHA investigation, including whether OSHA’s inspection of the pushback used by Ingraham yielded any findings.

More on April 20 incident: Father of American Airlines worker killed in accident sues, accuses airline of negligence

Menzies Aviation was responsible for the upkeep of the pushback. When asked by police, Menzies Aviation did not provide evidence that maintenance work was conducted after the reported brake failure 10 days before the fatal crash, according to an Austin police report obtained by the American-Statesman.

As one investigation closes, another ongoing at Austin airport

The day after OSHA ended its investigation, an employee with the city of Austin’s Aviation Department…

We use income earning auto affiliate links. More on Sponsored links.

Several ways to buy cheap airline tickets.
- Start searching at least 2 months in advance and sign up for email alerts so you'll always be notified when flight prices drop.
- Budget airlines typically offer the cheapest flights.
- Save money by taking your flight early in the morning or late at night.
- Consider flying on a weekday instead of a weekend.
- Use an aggregator site to compare prices across airlines.
- Once you have found the best trip, select it on the aggregator site and move to the airline’s direct website to book your tickets. Some aggregators allow you to book the ticket through their website, but there may be an additional service fee.