A newly released autopsy has answered how a Delta worker died at Orlando International Airport while leaving one major question unresolved: exactly how the late-night airside incident unfolded.
According to ClickOrlando, Daniel Maldonado, 49, died from multiple blunt impact injuries after the May 7 on-the-job incident. The Medical Examiner’s report ruled his death an accident.
The incident occurred at about 10:55 p.m. when an aircraft tug struck a passenger boarding bridge near Delta Flight 2593, according to WFTV. Passengers left the plane through the rear door and airstairs, while Delta paused operations and canceled one departure that night.
What The Autopsy Confirms And Leaves Open
The report documented extensive trauma, including bleeding in and around the brain, a brainstem-region laceration, fractures to the T3 through T5 vertebrae, and transections of the spinal cord and aorta at T4. It also listed multiple rib fractures, lacerations to the lungs, liver and spleen, an open fracture of the left upper arm, and other abrasions and contusions, the released report shows.
An earlier report on the medical examiner’s findings, covered by WESH 2, said Maldonado may have suffered a medical event before the tug moved beneath the jet bridge and noted a history of heart problems. The newly released report does not identify a medical event as the cause of death, instead listing the blunt-impact trauma and accidental manner of death.
FAA And OSHA Reviews Remain Part Of The Picture
Orlando police said after the crash that officers were conducting a death investigation inside the airside terminal. FOX 35 Orlando reported that the FAA and OSHA were also investigating the incident, but the July 31 update did not announce charges, citations or a final account of how the crash occurred.
Delta previously said it was focused on supporting Maldonado’s family and its Orlando team, while identifying safety as the airline’s top core value, according to WFTV. The autopsy now closes the medical portion of the case, but questions about the equipment, the crash sequence and any potential workplace-safety findings remain open.
