Overview
- The Los Angeles–bound Airbus A321, which began its takeoff at about 11:19 p.m. Friday, struck a person on Denver International Airport’s Runway 17L and came to a stop on the runway.
- The impact triggered a brief engine fire and smoke in the cabin, and the crew aborted takeoff and evacuated all 231 people via slides as firefighters extinguished the flames.
- In tower audio posted by ATC.com, the pilot said, “We just hit somebody… we have an engine fire,” and later reported “231 souls on board” before ordering an on-runway evacuation.
- Officials said the person had scaled the airport’s perimeter fence about two minutes before the collision, and airport staff later said the fence line appeared intact after inspection.
- Airport officials reported 12 minor injuries with five passengers taken to hospitals, while the NTSB, FAA, TSA and Denver Police opened an investigation and kept Runway 17L closed; multiple outlets, citing ABC, reported the person was at least partially pulled into an engine, a detail authorities have not independently confirmed, and the case is intensifying scrutiny of runway and perimeter safety across U.S. airports.