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A medical examiner has determined that the man struck by a Frontier Airlines plane at Denver International Airport last Friday died by suicide.
The victim, identified as 41-year-old Michael Mott, succumbed to blunt and sharp force injuries, according to Denver’s Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sterling McLaren, who shared the findings during a press briefing Tuesday morning at the airport.
Authorities reported that Mott had jumped over the airport’s security fence and wandered onto the runway shortly after arriving at DIA. The collision occurred just two minutes after his entry onto airport grounds.
The Frontier Airlines flight, departing Denver for Los Angeles, struck the pedestrian around 11:19 p.m., as noted in a statement from the airport’s official social media account. The impact caused an engine fire, prompting an emergency evacuation of the plane.
Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries, and five were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment, officials said.
The incident took place on runway 17L, which remained closed for investigation and reopened the following morning around 11 a.m.
Multiple agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, Denver Police, Frontier Airlines, and Denver International Airport, are collaborating on the investigation. Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing the emergency evacuation to decide whether to launch a formal investigation; no decision has been announced yet.
Questions remain about how the individual gained access to the runway without triggering security alerts. Airport and police officials have not provided details on fence security, patrols, or surveillance systems, leaving concerns about airport safety measures unresolved.
Passengers on board described the harrowing experience. One traveler, John, who was en route to a Pokémon Go tournament with his sons, told reporters the engine explosion sounded like a bomb, and he feared for their lives. His son Jacob witnessed the tragic event through the plane window.
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