A Frontier Airlines aircraft struck and killed a person who had breached security and run onto a runway at Denver International Airport late on Friday, forcing the jet to abort take-off and triggering an emergency evacuation of passengers.
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Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot reporting the incident moments after the aircraft accelerated for departure.
“We just hit somebody,” the pilot of Frontier Flight 4345 told the control tower. “We’re stopping on the runway. We have an engine fire.”
The Airbus A321 had been preparing to depart for Los Angeles International Airport at about 23:00 local time when the collision occurred, according to airport authorities.
Smoke was reported in the cabin, but firefighters from the Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the engine fire. All 224 passengers were evacuated using inflatable emergency slides as a precaution, Frontier Airlines said.
Airport officials said 12 passengers reported minor injuries during the incident. Five of them were taken to nearby hospitals, though their conditions were not immediately known.
Security breach before take-off
Authorities said the individual had climbed over a perimeter fence and entered the runway area roughly two minutes before the aircraft struck them.
The person is not believed to have been an airport employee, Denver International Airport said in a statement.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said the aircraft was travelling at a “high speed” when the impact occurred. Commercial airliners typically reach speeds of around 150–180mph (240–290km/h) during take-off.
“Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver International Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway,” Mr Duffy said.
“No one should ever trespass on an airport,” he added.
Airport authorities said an inspection of the perimeter fence after the incident found it to be intact.
Pilot alert captured on audio
Air traffic control audio shows that the Frontier crew had just been cleared for take-off shortly before the collision.
An air traffic controller told the pilot the aircraft was cleared for departure and wished the crew a good night.
After a brief pause, the pilot contacted the tower again to report the emergency.
“We’re stopping on the runway,” the pilot said, adding that there had been “an individual walking across the runway”.
The crew also told the tower that there were 231 people on board the aircraft, including seven crew members.
Passenger accounts
Images and video shared by passengers showed smoke inside the aircraft cabin shortly after the impact.
Passenger Jose Cervantes told a local television station affiliated with CBS that he heard a loud impact before noticing flames near the wing.
“I heard a thud,” he said. “I just see the right wing just on fire and like, it’s exploding.”
He said the sight of flames and smoke made him fear the worst.
“I thought I was going to burn to death,” he added.
Passengers were evacuated from the aircraft and transported by bus back to the terminal while emergency crews responded at the scene.
Investigation launched
The runway was closed as federal authorities began investigating the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are examining what happened.
Frontier Airlines said it was cooperating with investigators.
“We are deeply saddened by this event,” the airline said in a statement.
Denver International Airport also expressed sympathy to those affected, saying it was “extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved”.
Most passengers later continued their journey to Los Angeles on a replacement Frontier flight.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 10 May 2026
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