Additional Coverage:
- Frontier Aircraft ‘hits person’ on Denver Airport runway during takeoff amid reports of engine fire (themirror.com)
Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 encountered a serious incident Friday night at Denver International Airport when pilots reported striking a person on the runway and experiencing an engine fire, according to publicly available audio recordings.
The flight crew, with 231 passengers and crew on board, communicated that emergency response vehicles were en route. While there were no immediate reports of injuries, unconfirmed social media posts indicated that a pedestrian had entered the runway and was struck by the jet during takeoff.
Following the collision, the aircraft aborted the takeoff, and witnesses reported smoke and fire inside the cabin. Passengers were reportedly evacuated swiftly.
Frontier Airlines has been contacted for an official statement, and authorities continue to investigate the situation.
This event comes shortly after another aviation incident involving United Airlines at Newark Liberty International Airport. Earlier this week, a United flight preparing to land collided with a bakery truck on the New Jersey Turnpike. The truck, operated by Warren Boardley Jr., was en route to a Schmidt bakery depot in Newark when the aircraft’s landing gear tire shattered the truck’s window and windshield.
Boardley was hospitalized and treated for injuries caused by glass. The United flight, a Boeing 767 carrying 221 passengers and 10 crew members, also struck a light pole during its final approach but managed to land safely. United Airlines confirmed that no injuries occurred to passengers or crew, and their maintenance team is currently assessing the aircraft for damage while investigating the incident.
Both events highlight the critical importance of runway safety and prompt emergency response in aviation operations. Further updates are expected as investigations progress.