A tragic incident at Salt Lake City International Airport has prompted a joint investigation by local and federal authorities. On Monday, a 30-year-old man, identified as Kyler Efinger from Park City, Utah, lost his life after entering the engine of a stationary commercial aircraft. The Salt Lake City Police Department, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), is conducting a comprehensive inquiry into the circumstances surrounding this shocking event.
Efinger, who possessed a boarding pass for a flight to Denver, managed to breach security measures and gain access to the airfield. His unauthorized entry occurred through an emergency exit, and he proceeded to approach a plane bound for San Francisco. The aircraft was occupied by passengers when authorities discovered Efinger unconscious inside the engine cowling. Despite the efforts of police and emergency personnel, he could not be revived and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The incident began when a store manager within the airport alerted dispatchers at the airport control center after witnessing a passenger using an emergency exit. In response, Salt Lake City police were dispatched to address the security breach. Preliminary investigations revealed that Efinger breached a security door around 10 p.m. Monday, enabling him to access the airfield. Subsequently, he ran towards the west runway’s south end, where aircraft de-icing operations were in progress.
Upon discovering the breach, police and airport staff initiated a search, locating Efinger inside the engine of a commercial aircraft. Personal items belonging to the individual, including clothing and shoes, were found on one of the airport runways. Initially, it was reported that the aircraft’s engines were not in operation when Efinger entered them. However, a subsequent update clarified that the engines were indeed rotating, and the specific stage of engine operation at the time is part of the ongoing investigation.
Responders provided aid to the unconscious Efinger, but unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. Passengers on the affected plane were safely evacuated, and the overall operations of the airport were not significantly disrupted.
As the investigation unfolds, authorities are committed to determining the events leading up to this tragic incident. The collaborative efforts of the Salt Lake City Police Department, FAA, NTSB, and TSA aim to shed light on the security lapses and circumstances that allowed an individual to access a restricted area and enter a commercial aircraft’s engine. The findings will likely contribute to enhanced security measures and protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future. Additionally, a medical examiner will conduct an autopsy on Efinger to ascertain the cause of death, including the possibility of a toxicology report. The airport community, passengers, and the public at large await further details to gain a comprehensive understanding of this distressing event.