Washington, D.C. – Denver International Airport in Colorado witnessed a tragic and horrific incident Friday evening. Frontier Airlines reported that one of its planes collided with a person on the runway during takeoff. This led to widespread panic and a large-scale security and medical response at the airport.
Details of the ill-fated flight
Frontier Airlines explained in an official statement that flight 4345, which was en route from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, was forced to abruptly cancel takeoff after the collision.
Meanwhile, the initial report indicated that heavy smoke was observed inside the passenger cabin immediately after the incident. This prompted the flight crew to make the immediate decision to evacuate everyone to ensure their safety.
Emergency evacuation and ongoing investigations
As a swift precaution, all passengers were evacuated via emergency rubber sleds on the runway.
Frontier confirmed that the passengers disembarked safely. Meanwhile, the relevant authorities and air accident investigation teams began their work to determine the circumstances surrounding the presence of a person on the runway. This constitutes a serious security breach and raises significant questions about safety procedures at the airport.
Control tower recordings: Engine fire
For its part, Channel 4 in Los Angeles reported additional details about the timing of the crash, which occurred at 10:15 PM.
The channel also cited audio recordings of conversations between the cockpit and air traffic control. These recordings revealed extremely critical moments, with the pilot reporting to air traffic control that “the engine was on fire” following the impact. Smoke then rapidly filled the aircraft.
The pilot confirmed in the distress call that the aircraft was unable to return to the gate, necessitating the immediate evacuation of passengers onto the tarmac.
Meanwhile, while no official information has yet been released regarding the identity or condition of the person involved in the collision, the incident remains under federal investigation to uncover the shortcomings that led to this near-disaster.
