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Almost lost a finger at Sky Harbor last month...

Was doing a quick turnaround on a 737 in Phoenix when a latch spring shot out and hit my safety glasses - if I hadn't been wearing them, it would have taken my eye out. Has anyone else had a close call with those cargo door springs on the older Boeings?
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nina180
nina1806d agoMost Upvoted
Dude that's terrifying, so glad you had the glasses on. These older birds just keep finding new ways to try and get us.
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nathan851
nathan8516d ago
...and I had a similar thing happen but with a cargo strap, not a spring. I was working a late shift at a smaller regional airport, helping load bags on a Dash 8. One of the older nylon straps had a metal buckle that was cracked and nobody caught it. I leaned in to cinch a load and that buckle snapped and flew right past my ear. Missed my head by maybe an inch. @nina180 is right, these older machines have a way of getting complacent with you. Ever since I've started double checking every latch and buckle before I even touch the cargo, even if it adds a few minutes to the turnaround. Safety glasses are non-negotiable but sometimes it's the smaller hardware pieces that catch you off guard.
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