An American Airlines employee who died was dominated to have been killed by a horrific accident — after a company investigator urged that the reason for demise was suicide, in line with a report.
Michal Ingraham, a 37-year-old fleet service agent, was driving an aircraft-towing automobile often called a “tug” on April 20 on the tarmac at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas when it crashed right into a jet bridge close to Gate 24 at Barbara Jordan Terminal, in line with the American-Statesman of Austin.
He was pronounced lifeless round quarter-hour after authorities arrived on the scene.
During the police probe of the incident, a company investigator employed by American Airlines urged to cops that Ingraham’s demise might have been suicide, the American-Statesman reported.
Lynn Fast instructed Austin police a day after the incident that he had “obtained info in a single day indicating that the deadly incident was a suicide and never an accident,” in line with a police report cited by the American-Statesman.
Fast reportedly instructed authorities that he spoke to Ingraham’s father.
During their dialog, the daddy apologized for the ordeal, which Fast stated he “discovered unusual.”
Police, nevertheless, dismissed the wild assertion by Fast.
Instead, one witness instructed police that the tug Ingraham was driving “accelerated quicker than regular after which veered to the correct” earlier than the deadly collision.
When different floor brokers yelled at Ingraham to hit the brakes, it appeared that the accelerator “obtained caught” moments earlier than the crash, witnesses instructed police.
The crash left Ingraham pinned between the automobile and the underside of the jet bridge, in line with the American-Statesman.
The medical expert decided that Ingraham died on account of blunt power accidents, in line with the report.
Toxicology studies indicated that Ingraham had no medication or alcohol in his system on the time of the crash.
Investigators additionally obtained a tip from an nameless supply who instructed them that the automobile Ingraham was driving had been “marked out of service quite a few occasions for failed brakes,” in line with the newspaper.
Ingraham’s tug was reportedly beset with “a number of mechanical points” within the days and weeks main as much as the accident, in line with the report.
Despite the mechanical failures, the automobile was stored in operation.
Ten days earlier than the April 20 incident, the identical automobile was concerned in a separate collision attributable to brake failure, a tipster is reported to have instructed police.
The Post has sought remark from Fast, whose LinkedIn account signifies that he labored as a peace officer for the Texas Department of Public Safety in addition to the Addison Police Department in suburban Dallas.
The Post has sought remark from American Airlines.
“We are centered on making certain that each one concerned have the help they want throughout this troublesome time,” an airline spokesperson instructed the American-Statesman.
“American is totally cooperating on this open investigation.”
According to the American-Statesman, the corporate that oversees upkeep for the automobile is Menzies Aviation, a UK-based firm with an workplace in Grapevine, Texas.
A Menzies consultant declined to remark when reached by The Post.
Menzies’ position within the incident is reportedly the main target of a probe by the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), in line with a police report obtained by the American-Statesman.
The Post has sought remark from OSHA.
Last month, OSHA was criticized for fining an American Airlines subsidiary simply $15,625 over the demise of a floor crew employee who was sucked right into a jet engine at an Alabama airport on New Year’s Eve.
If you might be scuffling with suicidal ideas or are experiencing a psychological well being disaster and reside in New York City, you may name 1-888-NYC-WELL without cost and confidential disaster counseling. If you reside exterior the 5 boroughs, you may dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
