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Denver: A Frontier Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles was shockingly forced to abort takeoff and evacuate passengers on Friday night after it struck a pedestrian who had entered the runway at Denver International Airport. The incident, which occurred at around 11.19 pm, led to an engine fire, and the authorities declared a full emergency response. The airport officials confirmed that the victim, who had scaled a perimeter fence, died at the spot. 

According to reports, the Airbus A321, operating as flight 4345, was accelerating down runway 17L when the pilot reported hitting a person walking across the tarmac. As per the recordings published by ATC.com, the pilot immediately informed air traffic control (ATC), declaring, “We’re stopping on the runway. We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.” The flight crew declared that 231 people were on board and requested an evacuation after smoke was detected in the cabin.

The emergency services rushed to the site, deploying slides to evacuate passengers onto the runway before transferring them to the terminal by bus. The Denver Airport authority stated that 12 passengers sustained minor injuries, with 5 taken to local hospitals for further treatment. The runway remains closed as the National Transportation Safety Board begins its investigation.

Airline Confirms Details Of Incident

Frontier Airlines confirmed that flight 4345 was involved in the collision and that smoke had been reported inside the cabin, leading the pilots to halt the departure. The airline stated that the aircraft carried 224 passengers and 7 crew members, and stressed that the airline, in coordination with the airport authorities and safety investigators, was probing the incident. 

“We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the carrier said in a statement. It did not confirm whether the smoke in the cabin was directly linked to the collision or to the reported engine fire.

The airport’s official X account posted that the plane “reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff at DEN at around 11.19 pm on Friday". A spokesperson added that the unidentified person was not an airport employee and was struck around two minutes after entering the airfield by jumping a fence.

Second Airport Fatality In 2 Days

The fatality in Denver comes just a day after a Delta Air Lines employee was killed while working at Orlando International Airport. The airline said that the incident occurred on Thursday night but provided no further details, stating only that it was supporting the employee’s family and cooperating with investigators.

“We are focused on extending our full support to family and taking care of our Orlando team during this difficult time………We are working with local authorities as a full investigation gets underway to determine what occurred,” the airline said. 

Meanwhile, at the Denver airport, the attention is now focused on how the pedestrian managed to breach the airport’s perimeter and access an active runway. The aviation security experts noted that perimeter incursions remain rare but carry severe risks, both for the person and for aircraft during critical phases of flight. The NTSB’s inquiry will examine security protocols, runway lighting, and communication between ground staff and ATC. 

The passengers from flight 4345 have been rebooked, and Frontier Airlines said that it was providing assistance and support to those affected. The incident was one of the most serious runway incursions at a major US airport in recent years, coming at a time when aviation safety regulators are already reviewing ground security measures nationwide.