A Frontier Airlines aircraft struck and killed an individual on the runway at Denver International Airport during takeoff late Friday night, resulting in an engine fire and the evacuation of all passengers and crew, authorities confirmed.
Details of the Incident
The incident occurred at approximately 11:19 p.m. local time as Flight 4345 was departing for Los Angeles. According to the Denver airport's official social media account, the plane 'reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff.' An airport spokesperson stated that the person had jumped a perimeter fence and subsequently died from the impact. The individual has not been publicly identified but is believed to be an airport employee who had been on the airfield for roughly two minutes before being hit.
Sean Duffy, the U.S. transportation secretary under President Donald Trump, described the deceased as a 'trespasser' who deliberately scaled a fence and ran onto the runway. He confirmed that 12 people sustained injuries, with five requiring hospitalization. Duffy emphasized that local law enforcement, supported by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Transportation Security Administration (TSA), would investigate the security breach.
Pilot's Communication and Evacuation
Audio recordings from the site ATC.com captured the pilot informing the control tower, 'We're stopping on the runway... We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.' The pilot reported having '231 souls' on board and noted that an 'individual was walking across the runway.' The air traffic controller responded by dispatching emergency vehicles. Shortly after, the pilot reported smoke in the cabin and initiated an evacuation on the runway.
Frontier Airlines confirmed that the aircraft, an Airbus A321, was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. Smoke was detected in the cabin following the collision, though it remains unclear whether it was directly linked to the impact. Passengers evacuated via emergency slides and were transported by bus to the terminal. Firefighters responded to the aircraft to manage the engine fire.
Investigation and Aftermath
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been notified, and Runway 17L, where the incident took place, will remain closed during the investigation. A video circulating on social media, purportedly taken by a passenger, appears to capture the moment of the collision, including a loud crash and screams. Another video shows blood on the interior of the engine casing as passengers disembark.
This event follows a fatal incident at Orlando International Airport on Thursday night, where a Delta Air Lines employee died after a vehicle struck a jet bridge. Additionally, on May 3, a United Airlines plane arriving in Newark, New Jersey, from Venice, Italy, clipped a delivery truck and a light pole, causing damage but only minor injuries.
