A Frontier Airlines flight struck and killed a person on the runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night, triggering an engine fire, a cabin filled with smoke, and an emergency evacuation that sent 12 passengers to hospitals with minor injuries.
The plane, flight 4345, was bound for Los Angeles when the collision occurred at approximately 11:19 p.m. Friday. According to audio from the site ATC.com, the pilot radioed the control tower shortly after: "We're stopping on the runway. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire." The pilot reported 231 souls on board and told the controller that "an individual was walking across the runway." The air traffic controller responded that they were "rolling the trucks now" before the pilot reported smoke in the cabin and announced the crew would evacuate on the runway.
Passengers were evacuated via emergency slides and bused to the terminal. Five people were taken to hospitals. Video from the scene showed some passengers coming down the slides carrying what appeared to be their carry-on bags, which drew attention given standard evacuation protocols. Some passengers described being stuck inside the plane for several minutes as smoke filled the cabin, and others said they were left on the tarmac in the cold after exiting.
Passenger Mohamed Hassan told Colorado's 9NEWS: "Honestly, I thought I was going to die." He added: "A lot of people next to me were screaming and crying. I just closed my eyes. At that time, you're not really thinking of anything."
The person struck on the runway has not been identified by authorities. They are not believed to have been an airport employee. The individual had jumped a fence and crossed onto the runway approximately two minutes before being hit, according to officials.
Frontier Airlines confirmed in a statement that smoke was reported in the cabin and that the pilots aborted takeoff. The airline said the plane was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. It was not clear whether the cabin smoke was directly linked to the collision. Frontier did not respond early Sunday to questions about the evacuation itself.
The National Transportation Safety Board said Sunday it is gathering information about the emergency evacuation to determine whether it meets the criteria for a formal safety investigation. NTSB spokesperson Sarah Taylor Sulick said the agency might have more details within a few hours of her statement. The agency has not yet announced whether it will open a full investigation.
Frontier said it is investigating the incident in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.
