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Plane hits pedestrian on runway during take-off
Frontier Airlines plane aborts take-off after smoke was reported in the cabin, passengers evacuated
A Frontier Airlines jetliner taxis down a runway for take off from Denver International airport on Nov. 25, 2025, in Denver. (AP)
Denver: Frontier Airlines said that one of its passenger jets had reportedly struck a pedestrian late on Friday on the runway at Denver International Airport while taking off for Los Angeles, Reuters reported.
The Airbus A321 was taking off while it appeared to hit an individual walking on the runway.
Smoke was reported in the cabin of the Airbus A321 and the pilots aborted takeoff, the company said.
The pedestrian, who has not been identified, had jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway, the airport said.
The individual is not believed to be an employee of the airport, the statement said.
The incident caused a brief engine fire with smoke in the cabin on the Airbus A321 flight which was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, all of whom were evacuated safely.
According to ABC News, air traffic control recordings captured the crew reporting the emergency to the tower.
"Tower, Frontier 4345, we're stopping on the runway. Uh, we just hit somebody... we have an engine fire," the pilot was heard on the recordings.
When asked how many people were aboard, the pilot responded, "We have 231 souls on board... There was an individual walking across the runway."
Frontier said the flight was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, and all of them were safely evacuated.
Twelve people reported minor injuries and five were transported to local hospitals, the airport said.
Frontier said it was investigating the incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.
The airport closed the runway the incident occurred on and expects to reopen it in a few hours, it said, adding that it had also examined the fence line crossed by the individual and found it to be intact.
U.S. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said local law enforcement is investigating the incident with support from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration.