Yes, a jet engine can indeed pull objects into it when it’s running. This typically only happens if someone or something gets too close and ignores the strict safety protocols in place at airports. Jet engines are much larger than they appear in photos—so large that some are even bigger than the average adult.
Objects That Can Be Pulled Into a Jet Engine
While rare due to extensive safety measures, under certain conditions, nearly anything around a running jet engine can be sucked in. Jet engines require an enormous amount of air to operate, and they use powerful compressors to draw air through the engine. These compressors are incredibly strong. Even when the engine is idling, the suction force can be enough to pull in a full-grown adult, such as a maintenance worker.
Over the years, jet engines have pulled in almost everything imaginable, including (but not limited to): Cargo containers and pallets, Maintenance tools, Passenger luggage, Equipment, Food supplies, Animals (most commonly birds).
Safe Distance From a Running Jet Engine
The safe distance to avoid being sucked into a jet engine varies depending on the aircraft and the engine model. For example, the Boeing 737-800, powered by CFM56 engines, requires a minimum safe distance of about 14 feet (4.2 meters). On the other hand, the Global 7000 business jet, with GE Passport engines, requires a minimum of 5 feet 6 inches (1.67 meters).
Aircraft maintenance crews are trained to know these distances and can find them documented in the aircraft's maintenance manual. In civilian aviation, these distances are usually marked by brightly colored cones placed slightly beyond the minimum safe range—to allow for error and ensure safety.
Safety Measures to Prevent Ingestion Into Jet Engines
In addition to visual markers like cones, airports enforce strict safety protocols to avoid accidental ingestion of people or objects into engines. For passengers, boarding is typically via:
Jet bridges – enclosed walkways connecting the terminal to the aircraft.
Marked walkways – used when boarding via stairs, guiding passengers to the correct entrance (front or rear of the aircraft), and keeping them far from engine danger zones.
For engineers and maintenance personnel, who must work closely around the aircraft, safety procedures include:
Securing and stowing all loose objects
Wearing fitted clothing to prevent snagging
Using appropriate, non-slip footwear
Communicating via radio instead of hand signals
Staying outside the danger zone and ensuring the pilot shuts off the engine immediately if anything enters it
Being fully trained in safe distances and procedures specific to the aircraft
How Dangerous Is Foreign Object Debris (FOD)?
It’s not just people—any object left unsecured on the tarmac can be sucked into a running engine if it’s close enough. These items are known collectively as Foreign Object Debris (FOD). FOD can range from something as small as a candy wrapper to large items like loading equipment.
Even lightweight debris can cause serious damage. A small object traveling at high speed can easily crack, bend, or shatter the delicate compressor or turbine blades inside a jet engine, potentially damaging engine surfaces and affecting aerodynamic performance.
This is why airports routinely send out small trucks or inspection vehicles to patrol runways and taxiways, checking for and removing any FOD before it can pose a threat.
