Delta faces lawsuit, OSHA penalty after fatal TechOps tire explosion

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.

Delta declined to comment on a follow-up question about any compensation provided to the victims.

Aldarondo, 37, lived in Newnan at the time of his death. He joined Delta in 2019, left during the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to the company in December 2023.

Credit: John Spink/AJC

Credit: John Spink/AJC

Mirko Marweg, a 58-year-old from Stone Mountain, had worked in Delta’s TechOps paint shop for nearly 20 years and took an extra shift on the day of the tragedy, according to a news release last October by Beasley Allen, a law firm representing some of his family. A spokesperson said they haven’t yet filed a lawsuit.

Marweg’s stepson Andre Coleman told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that his mother has engaged a separate law firm — and also has not filed a lawsuit at this time.

He said the company and his stepfather’s former employees have been very supportive since the accident, and he did not have anything “negative” to say about Delta’s response.

Delta employees, he said, have been “amazing … They’ve been at the house,” he said.

“At the same time, somebody’s got to be held accountable for what happened,” Coleman said.

The tire exploded as workers were preparing to transport it, the Beasley Allen release alleged. As they unloaded the tire, the explosion caused a metal piece to fly through the air and hit the workers with lethal force, the firm said.

“The force was so severe that it nearly decapitated (Marweg) and severed his arm. The injuries left him unrecognizable. Identification was only possible through his tattoos and a signature Mississippi State lanyard,” the release stated.

Delta declined to comment on the firm’s allegations.

Griffin resident Caleb Pline was also seriously injured in the August incident. Efforts by the AJC to reach him were unsuccessful by deadline.

Delta TechOps is the airline’s maintenance, repair and overhaul operation, which operates out of large hangars near the airport.

The carrier says it is the largest airline maintenance, repair and overhaul provider in North America and services both Delta’s own fleet and those of more than 150 customers globally.