Frontier Airlines mechanic charged with sabotaging aircraft

Airline Industry Information, Jan 3, 2003

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2003 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A Frontier Airlines mechanic was charged with sabotaging an aircraft in a US federal court yesterday (2 January).

The 44-year-old allegedly threw a rubber wheel chock into the running engine of a Boeing 737, in an attempt to prevent the aircraft from taking off from Denver to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport on New Year's Day. The man - who believed that the aircraft was unsafe - claims to have thrown the chock into the engine as he believed it was the only way to stop the flight from departing.

The man, has been suspended by the carrier pending an investigation, faces up to 20 years imprisonment and a USD250,000 fine if convicted, Reuters reported.

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