A viral video from inside a Frontier Airlines flight has captured the terrifying moments an aircraft struck a trespasser during takeoff at Denver International Airport before an engine fire forced the plane to halt on the runway.
Air traffic control audio from the incident has now revealed the tense exchange between the pilot and tower moments after impact.
The incident happened late Friday night when Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 was departing for Los Angeles from Denver. Seconds after receiving takeoff clearance, the pilot radioed air traffic control saying: "We just hit somebody… We have an engine fire."
The Airbus A321 immediately stopped on the runway as smoke began filling parts of the cabin. Emergency crews rushed to the aircraft and all 224 passengers were evacuated using inflatable emergency slides as a precaution.
A passenger-recorded video now circulating widely on social media shows the plane accelerating during takeoff before flames suddenly appear near the wing area. Panic can be heard inside the cabin as the aircraft comes to a stop.
Authorities said the person struck by the aircraft had jumped over a perimeter fence and entered the runway area just minutes before the collision. The individual died in the incident.
According to air traffic control audio, the Frontier pilot informed the tower that there was "an individual walking across the runway" before confirming the aircraft was stopping immediately.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the plane was travelling at a "high speed" during takeoff when the impact occurred. Commercial aircraft typically reach speeds between 150 and 180 mph before liftoff.
Frontier Airlines said the airline was "deeply saddened" by the incident. Airport officials confirmed that 12 passengers suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, while five were taken to nearby hospitals. Their conditions were not immediately known.
Photos and videos shared online showed smoke inside the aircraft as passengers exited using emergency slides. After the evacuation, passengers were transported back to the terminal by bus while emergency responders secured the runway.
The runway remained closed for several hours as the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board launched an investigation into the incident.
Most passengers later departed Denver on another Frontier Airlines flight, airport officials said.</