Qingdao airport technician killed in towing accident

An aircraft maintenance technician was killed on Monday at Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport in Shandong province after being run over by an airplane.

The East China Regional Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and the Civil Aviation of China Qingdao Security Superintend Management Bureau are jointly investigating the accident, authorities said on Wednesday.

As an Airbus A320 aircraft belonging to Qingdao Airlines was being towed through the airport, it ran over the technician accompanying it, Shangyou News reported.

The aircraft entered service in July 2020. It completed its last flight on Sunday and landed at Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport for maintenance.

Early on Monday morning, as the aircraft was being towed to another bay after maintenance, the technician's body was found by co-workers. Towing was immediately halted and medics were sent to the site, where they later confirmed the technician's death.

The aircraft returned to operations on Wednesday.

A senior aircraft engineer told Shangyou News that before and after maintenance and flights, aircraft are routinely moved by special tow trailers and safety regulations require that a technician be deployed under the aircraft to aid with communication and monitoring during the process.