Pilots operating a Frontier Airlines flight had to abort takeoff at Denver International Airport late Friday night after reportedly colliding with an individual on the runway. The Airbus A321, which was carrying 224 passengers along with seven crew members, was preparing for Flight 4345 to Los Angeles International Airport when the incident occurred.
According to the airline’s statement, shortly after takeoff commenced, the flight crew communicated with the air traffic control tower to indicate that they had struck someone on the runway and detected smoke coming from the aircraft. “We’re stopping on the runway,” one pilot stated, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.” A subsequent message confirmed the presence of an individual walking across the runway just moments before the collision.
Following the incident, the crew initiated an emergency evacuation of the aircraft using emergency slides, prioritizing passenger safety. Firefighters swiftly responded to the scene and were able to extinguish the engine fire that was reported. Passengers were subsequently transported back to the terminal via bus.
The episode unfolded around 11:20 p.m., as indicated by reports from Denver airport officials. Flight tracking data revealed that the aircraft had only recently begun to accelerate for takeoff before halting abruptly on the runway. Despite the severity of the situation, the airport reported that flight operations were not significantly disrupted, although Runway 17L, the site of the incident, was temporarily closed.
As investigations commence, both Frontier Airlines and Denver International Airport have stated that further details regarding the identity and condition of the individual struck by the aircraft are not yet available. The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified and is working alongside the Federal Aviation Administration and local agencies to collect detailed information about the incident.
Currently, there have been no announcements of major disruptions to flight schedules, and authorities continue to look into the circumstances surrounding the collision.
