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submitted 5 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Stephanie Cosme, 32, was killed last year when she inadvertently walked into the rotating propeller of an aircraft in California

US air force civilian contractor had become disoriented recording data at an airport in California last year when she walked into a jet’s rotating propeller and was killed, officials said on Friday.

In a statement outlining the findings of a report into the contractor’s death, the air force materiel command said that 32-year-old Stephanie Cosme was mortally injured on 7 September when she inadvertently walked into the rotating propeller of an MQ-9A that was parked at Gray Butte airfield.

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[-] Krauerking@lemy.lol 42 points 5 months ago

the air force materiel command accident investigation board said it found two causes for the incident.

“First,” the board said, “the test engineer was incorrectly instructed or trained on how to take telemetry readings when approaching the MQ-9A while the engine was running. Second, she lost situational awareness while walking around the mishap aircraft taking telemetry readings with a hand-held measurement device.”

Yeah, no one warned her how deadly this was and not thinking about she walked right into that propeller looking down. Not sure that relieves them or fault but definitely an accurate assessment of what happened

[-] catloaf@lemm.ee 12 points 5 months ago

There's fault on both sides. The Air Force for not training her properly, and her for walking around operating equipment without paying attention to things that'll kill you.

Legally, though, the Air Force is probably going to pay out for her death.

[-] turmacar@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

The military is a lot more tolerant about working around running aircraft than civilians. Nominally there's a lot more training/drilling/etc to keep situational awareness up... But also occasionally someone walks into a prop or gets sucked into a jet.

I'm sure this'll spawn a new series of briefings.

Not sure how it'll work with any payouts since she was a contractor. In general you're being paid more at the cost of less of the compensation packages that service members get.

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

“Others began shouting and waving to get [Cosme’s] attention as well,” the report said.

They warned her, but she didn’t look up. It’s horrible that they had to witness that.

[-] Krauerking@lemy.lol 9 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Oh no, you don't hear anything near a running plane. Shouting at the time is pissing in the wind. Definitely on her a bit for not checking in often around a moving death machine. But shouting over the whir doesn't count.

Still truly awful to witness anything that horrific. As someone that has, the right answer is absolutely to look away and don't let anyone tell you, you are wrong to.

[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 2 points 5 months ago

I’m sorry you had to witness that. It’s good advice, but I can’t imagine logic taking over instinctive desire to stop them. Let’s hope neither of us need this advice in the future.

[-] MyNamesNotRobert@lemmynsfw.com 28 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I hope she at least died immediately, that sounds like a terrible way to go.

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 20 points 5 months ago

That's a reaper drone. The bottom of the prop is about 4 or 5 feet off the ground. I'm confident it was quick, morbid as that sounds.

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[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 13 points 5 months ago

Is disorientated a word? Isn’t it just “disoriented”?

[-] leftzero@lemmynsfw.com 17 points 5 months ago

Disorientated is the proper word in English, disoriented is the American misspelling.

[-] Daxtron2@startrek.website 18 points 5 months ago

Classic British prescriptivism

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[-] reddig33@lemmy.world 4 points 5 months ago

Today I learned.

[-] seth@lemmy.world 12 points 5 months ago

That sounds like a terrible way to go, and utterly horrifying for the people who had to witness it, and those who had to collect and clean up her remains.

[-] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 5 months ago

Tbf, she probably died very quickly. Now the mess after her is going to be nasty. And everywhere

[-] Num10ck@lemmy.world 15 points 5 months ago
[-] NoIWontPickAName@kbin.earth 5 points 5 months ago

You’re going to hell for that and I’m going to hell for laughing at it

[-] deranger@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago

“Disorientated” gets me. Why not save a few letters and use “disoriented”? You don’t orientate yourself to your environment, you orient yourself.

[-] Num10ck@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago

Disoriented is the US version; disorientated is the British version.

[-] Dozzi92@lemmy.world 5 points 5 months ago

Never thought about that. People frequently say orientate at my work (I am a stenographer) and it bothers me to no end, because it takes me longer to write orientate versus orient. But now it makes sense, British language.

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[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 3 points 5 months ago

For me, it was the article describing walking into the propeller of a jet. Clearly someone didn’t read this over before clicking submit

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[-] eardon@lemmy.ca 5 points 5 months ago

She became disoriented... recording data?

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this post was submitted on 06 Apr 2024
103 points (97.2% liked)

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