Frontier Airlines Plane Strikes Pedestrian on Runway at Denver Airport, Engine Fire Erupts
At Denver International Airport late Friday night, a Frontier Airlines plane bound for LAX hit and killed someone on the runway mid-takeoff, ABC News reports.
It's unclear who the person killed was, but a source told ABC News that the individual did not seem to be one of the workers on a parallel runway. As a result, airport security inspected the fence on the east perimeter for any gaps that would have allowed the individual to walk onto the runway.
The individual was sucked into one of the engines, which sparked an engine fire. All 231 people aboard the plane evacuated via the slides and the Denver Fire Department extinguished the fire. Each person has received medical evaluation, per standard operating procedure after an evacuation.
"Tower, Frontier 4345, we're stopping on the runway. Uh, we just hit somebody... we have an engine fire," the pilot said, according to air traffic control audio. "... There was an individual walking across the runway." He then said, "We've got smoke on the aircraft, we're gonna evacuate on the runway."
Frontier Airlines Issues a Statement
Frontier Airlines released a statement after the tragic event:
"As flight 4345 was departing this evening from Denver International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport, the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff. Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution. The Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities. We are deeply saddened by this event."
This happened just a day after a similar tragic incident in Orlando, in which a Delta employee was killed when a vehicle that moves planes, known as a "tug," hit a jet bridge next to a plane filled with passengers.
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published May 9, 2026 at 10:05 AM.