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BBC News1 min read
Frontier Airlines plane hits and kills runway trespasser at Denver airport
TL;DR
A Frontier Airlines plane struck and killed a trespasser on the runway at Denver International Airport, leading to an engine fire. All 224 passengers were evacuated, with twelve reporting minor injuries, five of whom were hospitalized.
Key points
- Frontier Airlines plane hit a trespasser on the runway
- Incident occurred at Denver International Airport
- Engine fire was reported after the collision
- All 224 passengers were evacuated safely
- Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries
The moment after a Frontier Airlines plane killed a person who was on a runway after jumping a perimeter fence at Denver International Airport on Friday night is captured in air traffic control audio.
"We just hit somebody," the pilot tells the control tower after halting Flight 4345's take-off. "We have an engine fire."
Smoke could be seen in the Airbus A321's cabin, but Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire. All 224 passengers on board were evacuated by inflatable emergency slides as a matter of precaution, Frontier said.
"We are deeply saddened by this event," the airline added. Twelve passengers aboard the plane reported minor injuries from the incident, the airport said.
Five of the injured passengers were taken to nearby hospitals, according to airport authorities. Their conditions were unclear.
The Frontier Airlines flight was taking off for Los Angeles International Airport at around 23:00 local time (06:00 BST) when it hit the individual, authorities said.
The unnamed individual had after leapt over a perimeter fence two minutes before the impact, said the carrier.
An air traffic controller had just told the Frontier pilot they were clear for takeoff and wished them a good night.
After a short pause, the pilot called back to the tower, according to air traffic control audio.
"We're stopping on the runway," the pilot tells the tower, adding that the plane just hit someone.
"There was an individual walking across the runway, " the pilot says.
"We have 231 souls on board," he adds, including seven crew members.
The plane was moving at a "high speed" at the time, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
"Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int'l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway," Duffy said in a statement.
"No one should EVER trespass on an airport," he added.
Commercial airliners typically take off at speeds between 150 and 180mph (240–290 km/h).
The trespasser is not believed to be an airport employee, Denver International Airport (DIA) said.
"The airport has examined the fenceline and found it to be intact," DIA said in a statement.
Smoke in the cabin can be seen on photos and video shared by one of the passengers.
Passenger Jose Cervantes told an affiliate of the BBC's US partner CBS that he 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."
After evacuating the plane, the passengers were bused back to the terminal as emergency crews responded to the scene, DIA said.
The majority of the passengers have since left Denver on a new Frontier flight, the airport said.
Q&A
What happened during the Frontier Airlines incident at Denver airport?
A Frontier Airlines plane hit a trespasser on the runway, resulting in an engine fire and the evacuation of all passengers.
How many passengers were injured in the Frontier Airlines runway incident?
Twelve passengers reported minor injuries, with five taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
What caused the Frontier Airlines plane to stop before take-off?
The pilot reported hitting someone on the runway, which prompted the halt of Flight 4345's take-off.
