Frontier Airlines flight hits pedestrian during takeoff at Denver airport

A shocking incident at Denver International Airport disrupted late-night travel when a Frontier Airlines flight struck a pedestrian during its takeoff roll. Flight 4345, bound for Los Angeles, aborted its attempt to depart after the collision, which airport officials confirmed occurred around 11:19 pm Friday.

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Frontier Flight 4345 reported striking a pedestrian during takeoff.

Details emerging from the scene paint a grim picture. According to ABC News, citing an unidentified official, the individual struck was "at least partially consumed by one of the engines." The impact also caused a brief engine fire, which was promptly extinguished by the Denver Fire Department. Audio from air traffic control captured a pilot's report: "We're stopping on the runway, we just hit somebody, we have an engine fire… There was an individual walking across the runway."

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The person hit “was at least partially consumed by one of the engines.”

Emergency crews responded swiftly, and passengers were bused back to the terminal. While Frontier Airlines stated that passengers were safely evacuated via slides as a precaution, at least one passenger reportedly suffered a minor injury. The airline confirmed the Airbus A321 was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members.

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We’re stopping on the runway, we just hit somebody, we have an engine fire… There was an individual walking across the runway.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been alerted, and a section of the runway, 17L, has been closed as the investigation commences. Frontier Airlines expressed deep sadness over the event and is cooperating with authorities to gather more information. The circumstances surrounding how a person came to be on the active runway during takeoff remain unclear and are central to the ongoing investigation.

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Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution.