A Frontier plane hit a person while taking off from Denver bound to Los Angeles
Apparently the person jumped the airport perimeter fence and was run over two minutes later while crossing the runway
A Frontier plane fatally struck a person in Denver while taking off for Los Angeles on Friday night, according to the airline and Denver International Airport.
The Airbus A321 was taking off from Denver bound to Los Angeles when the person crossed the runway around 11:19 p.m., according to communications issued by Frontier Airlines and Denver airport.
The airport reported that the person died in the accident, although her identity has not been revealed. According to the first reports, she jumped the perimeter fence of the airport and was run over two minutes later while crossing the runway.
According to Frontier, smoke was reported in the cockpit after the accident. The pilots canceled takeoff and stopped the plane.
No serious injuries were reported among the 224 passengers and seven crew members, Frontier reported. The airport indicated that 12 people reported minor injuries, five of whom were transferred to local hospitals.
John Anthens was traveling with his son, Jacob, and spoke to CBS News after the incident. He said he was sitting next to a v He hovered over the wing and noticed a spark, followed by what he described as a large explosion in the wing and engine area.
He added that, after the explosion, the passengers were screaming and dense smoke filled the cabin. After disembarking, Anthens estimated that he and the other passengers The couple waited on the tarmac, outdoors, for approximately an hour before the buses arrived to transport them back to the terminal.
Frontier reported that it is investigating the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also been notified.
The cause of the incident, including the engine fire, has not yet been determined. Runway 17L, where the pedestrian collision occurred, will remain closed for investigation and is expected to reopen on Saturday.
The airport reported that the perimeter fence of the facilities remains intact and that the person is not believed to be an employee of the airport. The security of Transportation, Sean Duffy, referred to the person as an “intruder” and stated that local authorities are also investigating the incident.