Incident Overview
Audio from air traffic control captures the moments following a Frontier Airlines aircraft striking and killing a person who had trespassed onto a runway at Denver International Airport on Friday night.
After halting Flight 4345's takeoff, the pilot reported to the control tower,
"We just hit somebody,"
and added,
"We have an engine fire."
Visible smoke was observed inside the Airbus A321 cabin, but the Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire. Frontier Airlines stated that all 224 passengers aboard were evacuated using inflatable emergency slides as a precautionary measure.
The airline expressed sorrow over the incident, stating,
"We are deeply saddened by this event."
According to airport officials, twelve passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation, with five transported to nearby hospitals. The conditions of those hospitalized have not been disclosed.
Details of the Event
The Frontier Airlines flight was preparing to depart for Los Angeles International Airport around 23:00 local time (06:00 BST) when the collision occurred, authorities confirmed.
The individual involved had climbed over a perimeter fence approximately two minutes prior to the impact, according to the airline.
Air traffic control had just cleared the Frontier pilot for takeoff and wished the crew a good night. Shortly thereafter, the pilot communicated back to the tower,
"We're stopping on the runway,"
and reported the collision,
"There was an individual walking across the runway,"
adding,
"We have 231 souls on board,"
which included seven crew members.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the aircraft's speed at the time as "high speed." He stated,
"Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int'l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway."
"No one should EVER trespass on an airport,"
Duffy emphasized.
Commercial airliners typically reach takeoff speeds between 150 and 180 mph (240–290 km/h).
Denver International Airport (DIA) confirmed that the trespasser is not believed to be an airport employee. The airport conducted an inspection of the fence line and found it intact, issuing a statement:
"The airport has examined the fenceline and found it to be intact."
Passenger Accounts and Emergency Response
Photos and videos shared by passengers show smoke inside the cabin. Passenger Jose Cervantes, speaking to a CBS affiliate, described the moment,
"I heard a thud and then I just see the right wing just on fire and like, it's exploding."
"I thought I was going to burn to death,"
he added.
"You know, when I just saw the fire and the smoke, I just thought I was going to burn."
Following evacuation, passengers were transported back to the terminal by bus while emergency crews attended the scene, according to DIA.
Most passengers have since departed Denver aboard a replacement Frontier flight, the airport reported.
Investigation and Airport Operations
The runway was closed as the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board initiated an investigation into the incident.
DIA expressed condolences in a statement,
"We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved."
