El Paso, TX -- A mechanic was sucked into a jet engine and killed Monday while passengers were boarding the plane, officials said.
National Transportation Safety Board spokeswoman Lauren Peduzzi said she did not know if any passengers saw the accident, which involved a Boeing 737-500 operated by Continental Airlines.
Peduzzi said there had been an earlier problem with the engine, so its metal covering was open at the time.
A total of 114 passengers and five crew members were boarding at the time, authorities said.
The NTSB was investigating.
