Utah Police Investigate Tragic Death of Man Found in Aircraft Engine at Salt Lake City Airport
Salt Lake City, Utah: An ongoing investigation is being conducted by Utah police following the death of a man who entered the engine of a Delta Air Lines jet at Salt Lake City International Airport on Monday evening, as reported by CNN.
The airport disclosed that the 30-year-old man gained access to the secure ramp area through a terminal emergency exit. He proceeded to the south end of the airport’s west runway, where deicing operations were taking place, and entered an aircraft engine that was not in operation.
Emergency responders discovered the man unconscious, and despite their efforts, they were unable to revive him. The cause of the man’s death remains unclear at this time. The individual has been identified as Kyler Efinger, a resident of Lake’s Park City, with a confirmed boarding pass for a flight to Denver, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department.
Delta Air Lines confirmed that Flight 2348, scheduled for San Francisco, returned to the gate, resulting in the deboarding of all 95 passengers after the incident. The flight was subsequently canceled.
Police were alerted to the situation around 10 pm local time when a store manager reported a disturbance involving a passenger inside a terminal. Efinger had accessed the outdoor ramp area after going through an emergency exit door, as per the police investigation.
During the search, a pilot reported sighting the man, and personal items, including clothing and shoes, were found on one of the runways. Subsequently, officers located Efinger at an aircraft de-icing pad, partially inside the wing-mounted engine of a commercial plane that was still rotating. The specific stage of engine operation is under investigation.
Efforts to rescue Efinger involved pulling him from the engine’s intake cowling, administering CPR, and using naloxone. Despite these efforts, he passed away at the scene. An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of his death, with a potential toxicology report.
The incident did not impact other airport operations. Investigations are being carried out by Salt Lake City police, the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Transportation Security Administration. The National Transportation Safety Board is collecting information, but local police are leading the investigation.