Delta pilot sues after moving sidewalk at Denver airport ‘swallowed’ his foot, caused fall

A Delta pilot has filed a lawsuit after his foot got caught in a moving sidewalk at Denver International Airport, causing him to fall over and suffer injuries.

Kenneth Gow, a pilot who lives in Utah, sued TK Elevator Corporation in December and claimed that a missing piece on the end of the walkway caused the stumble, according to the lawsuit.

As a result of the fall, which occurred in Nov. 2022, he suffered injuries to his foot and shoulder that required physical therapy and caused him to miss work, KUSA reported.

Video of the incident obtained by the outlet shows Gow walking down the moving exit with his bags. As he reaches the end, his foot becomes jammed in a missing piece of the comb plate and he falls to the ground, video shows.

A good Samaritan behind him helps him free his foot from the machine as travelers watch on. He gets back on his feet and then can be seen explaining what happened to airport staff, according to the clip.

“It’s really fortunate that Mr. Gow wasn’t hurt worse,” Gow’s attorney, Brian Aleinikoff, told KUSA.

The lawsuit, obtained by Law&Crime, states that the pilot was approaching the walkway on Nov. 4, 2022 he “suddenly felt a surge of pain in his foot and collapsed.”

When he looked back, Gow “saw that his foot and shoe had been swallowed by the walkway as it was missing a plate,” the lawsuit alleges. “Ken’s foot, sock, and shoe were severely damaged.”

“It was fortunate that Mr. Gow was wearing a pretty hefty shoe. It’s fortunate that he didn’t lose his toes,” Aleinikoff said.

Photos show Gow’s shoe and sock looking completely chewed up after the incident, with a hole through the heel.

The broken walkway “posed an unreasonable risk of injury to passengers on it,” creating a dangerous condition, Gow alleges.

He went to a clinic in his home state of Utah three days after the fall for injuries to his left ankle, left foot and left shoulder.

He has undergone physical therapy but remains in serious pain, according to the lawsuit.

Doctors told Gow to stay in a foot brace and he was diagnosed with a strain of the left Achilles tendon and contusion of the left foot, according to court documents.

Gow is seeking an amount to be determined at trial for his medical expenses as well as damages for physical suffering, emotional distress and mental anguish.

Denver International Airport told KUSA in a statement that “The safety of our passengers and employees is always a top priority and we work diligently every day in partnership with our contractors to address issues.”