IAM Local 774

A Local 774 Safety Committee meeting will be held in Machinists Hall immediately following the general membership meeting on Saturday, May 16, 2026.

TRAGEDY AT BOEING WICHITA: AUTOPSY SAYS WORKPLACE ACCIDENT CONTRIBUTED TO MECHANIC’S DEATH

A Boeing aircraft mechanic in Wichita has died after a workplace accident, and an autopsy now states the accident contributed to his death.

According to KWCH, 53-year-old Daniel Lussier was involved in an accident at the Boeing facility on April 22. His family said he stepped on a crossbeam and fell through floorboards, suffering multiple broken ribs. He was hospitalized, released the next day, and died on April 26. The autopsy listed the cause of death as a blood clot to the lung, with the workplace accident listed as a contributing factor.

A coworker who says he witnessed the accident told KWCH that Lussier fell through beams and landed on his midsection. The coworker also said others had fallen through similar crossbeams before and called for Boeing to improve safety more broadly, not only in the specific area where this accident happened.

Lussier was remembered by his coworker as a kind and helpful person who made the job easier for others. KWCH reported that it reached out to Boeing for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Why it matters:
Behind every aircraft program are mechanics, technicians, inspectors, and factory workers who carry the safety culture of aviation on their shoulders. This tragedy is a painful reminder that aviation safety must begin long before an airplane ever reaches the runway — it starts on the factory floor.