A Frontier Airlines flight fatally struck a person walking on the Denver airport runway Friday night, igniting an engine fire and forcing passengers to evacuate on emergency slides.
Pilots aboard Frontier Flight 4345, which was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles International Airport, reported “striking a pedestrian during takeoff” from Denver International Airport at 11:19 p.m, airline officials reported.
Air traffic control audio from ATC.com, which was posted on social media, captured the crew reporting the emergency to the tower, .
“Tower, Frontier 4345, we’re stopping on the runway. Uh, we just hit somebody… we have an engine fire,” the pilot is heard on the audio from ATC.
When asked how many people were aboard, the pilot responded, “We have 231 souls on board. … There was an individual walking across the runway.”
Moments later, the pilot reported worsening conditions and the need to evacuate.
“We’ve got smoke on the aircraft, we’re gonna evacuate on the runway,” the pilot said.
Firefighters quickly responded and extinguished the fire.
The unidentified pedestrian was at least partially sucked into one of the engines of the Airbus A321neo, which ignited the brief engine fire, ABC News reported, citing sources.
One passenger received a minor injury and all those aboard the airliner “are being evaluated, which is standard procedure following an evacuation,” according to the outlet.
The flight had 231 people on board, according to a statement by the airport. Passengers had to evacuate the aircraft on the runway via emergency slides and were bused to terminals by emergency crews.
Frontier Airlines released a statement:
As flight 4345 was departing this evening from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff. Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution. The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities. We are deeply saddened by this event.
A source told ABC News that airport security was inspecting the east perimeter fence on Saturday morning for gaps that might have allowed someone to enter the runway.
The Denver Police Department is also involved the investigation. Identity and details on the person struck by the plane have yet to be released.
Contributor Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of the Los Angeles crime novel Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
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