A serious aviation incident unfolded late Friday night at Denver International Airport when a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 reportedly struck a pedestrian during takeoff, forcing pilots to reject departure and triggering an emergency evacuation.
The aircraft, operating Frontier Flight 4345 to Los Angeles, was carrying 224 passengers and 7 crew members when the incident occurred on Runway 17L at approximately 11:19 p.m. According to early reports and air traffic control audio, the flight crew aborted takeoff moments after impact and later reported an engine fire.
Authorities believe the individual was walking across the active runway at the time of the accident. The impact reportedly caused damage to one of the aircraft’s engines and led to smoke inside the cabin. Cabin crew quickly initiated an emergency evacuation using inflatable slides as airport emergency teams responded to the scene.
All 231 people onboard were evacuated safely and transported back to the terminal. One minor injury was reported during the evacuation, while no serious injuries were confirmed among passengers or crew. Investigators from the FAA, NTSB, Denver Police, and airport authorities are now examining how the person gained access to the secure airfield area. Runway 17L remained closed for several hours as investigators continued their work.
