Stewardess fell out of plane

A STEWARDESS who went looking for baggage loaders slipped out the back door of an Aer Arann plane onto the tarmac at Dublin Airport in July last year.

A report from the air accident investigation unit said she struck a baggage trolley on the way down and regained consciousness to find passengers looking down at her.

The unit’s report was published yesterday and said the stewardess went to the back door of the plane during a break in boarding on July 4, 2007.

It had started to rain and some of the 36 passengers on board had complained of a draught blowing through the ATR 72-202 aircraft, which is powered by a propeller engine on each wing.

The stewardess went to the back of the plane and tried to attract the attention of baggage loaders to help her close the door.

Investigator Paddy Judge said this model had not been fitted with anti-slip supports, which the plane’s manufacturer is now putting on all its aircraft.

“Both [service] doors were open and a strong draught blowing through made cabin conditions uncomfortable.

“[The woman who fell] remembered putting her hand up to the handle on the door frame and starting to bend down in order to look out and see where the loaders were.

“Her right foot slipped on the wet metal sill and she fell,” Mr Judge’s report said.

The baggage loading crew arrived straight away as she regained consciousness.

Last night Aer Arann released a short statement.

It said the stewardess had made a full recovery and had returned to work.