Frontier Plane Kills Trespasser on Runway

A Frontier Airlines flight fatally struck a pedestrian while departing Denver International Airport on Friday, with audio capturing the pilot’s immediate reaction: “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire,” CBS News reported. The incident prompted an emergency evacuation of the aircraft using inflatable slides, with smoke filling the cabin and images appearing to show blood on the plane’s engine.
Air traffic control audio from ATC.com reveals the sequence began smoothly, with the tower clearing the flight for takeoff and wishing the crew “a good night.” Approximately 30 seconds later, the pilot reported stopping on the runway after striking an individual walking across the tarmac. About 40 seconds after that, the pilot reported smoke in the aircraft and initiated evacuation procedures on the runway.
Video shot by a passenger and shared with CBS News shows smoke in the cabin as 224 passengers and seven crew members evacuated using emergency slides. No major injuries were reported among those aboard, though the airport stated that 12 people reported minor injuries and five were transported to area hospitals. Emergency crews bused passengers back to the terminal, and the Los Angeles-bound flight was rescheduled.
The pedestrian, who has not been identified, was killed after jumping the perimeter fence and crossing the runway approximately two minutes later, according to Denver International Airport. The fence remained intact, and the individual is not believed to have been an airport employee. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy referred to the person as a “trespasser” in a social media post.
Frontier Airlines is investigating the incident, and the National Transportation Safety Board was notified. The runway where the crash occurred will remain closed during the investigation and is expected to reopen Saturday.