NTSB Releases Preliminary Report On Lynbrook LIRR Death

The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report about its investigation into the death of Karl Aarseth, who died after being dragged across the Lynbrook LIRR platform by a train on April 5.

According to the NTSB, the train pulled into the Lynbrook station at 8:11 p.m. Passengers disembarked and new passengers got on, and the train was ready to leave about a minute later.

The report says that the conductor was on the train and looked out to the assistant conductor, who signaled that all passengers were clear of the train. The conductor closed the doors and told the engineer to leave the station.

It was then, the report says, that Aarseth, a 65-year-old Lynbrook resident, fell against the train.

"The conductor said the person made contact with the side of the fifth or sixth car of the train and fell to the ground," the NTSB wrote in the report. "The conductor then called the engineer over the intercom to stop the train, as he also signaled for the train to stop. After the train stopped, the conductor and assistant conductor got off the train and discovered the deceased person on the platform about one car-length, or about 85 feet, from the east end of the station."

The MTA Police responded to the scene and found that there was no criminal activity involved in the death. Aarseth did not fall into the gap between the platform and the train, the NTSB said, and the preliminary report indicates the train doors did not close on him.

The NTSB is still investigating the accident. Representatives from the agency told Patch it could be 12 to 24 months before the final report is released. You can read the NTSB's preliminary report here.

Photo: Patch