Delta faces lawsuit, OSHA penalty after fatal TechOps tire explosion

The family of a maintenance employee who was killed following a tire explosion at Delta Air Lines’ TechOps facility last August has sued the company, alleging negligence in safety protocols and training.

The suit comes a month after the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration imposed the maximum penalty against the Atlanta-based airline for the incident that killed two and seriously injured one employee.

The February OSHA citation for $16,550 found Delta “failed to ensure that adequate aircraft tire deflation procedures were developed and implemented” to control the hazards of a tire explosion. The citation became a final order in late March and has been paid in full, a Department of Labor spokesperson confirmed.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of two minor children of the late Luis Aldarondo, who was seriously injured and later died after the early morning incident in the company’s wheel and brake shop.

The Gwinnett County case filed Friday seeks unspecified damages and a jury trial.

The complaint alleges the airline failed to ensure employees and contractors used proper safety precautions while servicing aircraft wheels and tires, and failed to require adequate on-the-job training for employees and contractors.

The Atlanta-based carrier declined to comment on the litigation.

In response to the OSHA citation, Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant said: “At Delta, nothing is more important than safety. Following the tragic incident involving three team members late last summer, we launched a thorough investigation and have already implemented corrective actions that are consistent with those provided by OSHA.”

OSHA directed the company to adjust servicing and training protocols as well as to reassess its shop’s wheel disassembly process.