A mechanic died Friday after being pinned under the wing of a plane being pulled into a hangar at Kagoshima Airport, a local airline and fire department said.
Japan Air Commuter Co., a subsidiary of Japan Airlines Co., identified the man as employee Koki Kihara, 31. He was among some 10 people pulling a Japan Coast Guard plane into a hanger for a checkup when the aircraft tilted to the left shortly before 1 p.m., trapping him between its wing and the ground.
The mechanic was unconscious when taken to the hospital by helicopter and was later pronounced dead.
For now, the police believe the Saab 340 aircraft tilted when something caused its left wing wheel to retract into the fuselage.
The plane, 20 meters long and 22 meters wide, was undergoing its annual mechanical check, according to the local coast guard unit, which outsources maintenance to Japan Air Commuter.
The plane is used to patrol territorial waters and conduct maritime search-and-rescue operations.