Deadly Incident at Denver International Airport
A pedestrian was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines jet during takeoff late Friday night, triggering a brief engine fire and an emergency evacuation.
Incident Overview
On Friday night at Denver International Airport, Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff. The person was partially consumed by an engine, which caused a brief engine fire that was quickly extinguished by firefighters. One passenger sustained minor injuries. All 231 passengers and crew were evaluated and evacuated via slides.
Flight Details
- Flight: Frontier Airlines 4345, an Airbus A321
- Destination: Los Angeles International Airport
- Passengers: 224
- Crew: 7
Timeline
- 11:19 p.m.: The aircraft struck a pedestrian during takeoff.
- The pilot reported the emergency to air traffic control, stating: "We just hit somebody... we have an engine fire. "
- Smoke appeared in the cabin, and the pilot initiated an evacuation on the runway.
- Denver Fire Department extinguished the engine fire.
Investigation
The Denver Police Department and the NTSB are investigating the incident. Airport security inspected the east perimeter fence for gaps. The person struck appeared unconnected to work on a parallel runway.