Man hit by Frontier Airlines plane taking off at Denver airport intended to kill himself, officials say
CNN • • business
Key Points:
- Michael Mott, 41, intentionally jumped a perimeter fence at Denver International Airport and was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines jet, with his death ruled a suicide by Denver’s chief medical examiner.
- The incident occurred as Frontier Flight 4345, carrying 224 passengers and 7 crew, was departing for Los Angeles; the collision caused an engine fire and smoke in the cabin, injuring 12 people, with five hospitalized.
- The airport’s 8-foot barbed wire fence, spanning about 36 miles, was found intact after the incident, but security is reviewing perimeter protocols as Mott was able to breach it within 15 seconds.
- Ground sensors triggered an alarm when Mott approached, but security initially mistook his presence for deer on camera, delaying response; airport officials emphasized multiple security layers beyond the fence.
- Denver International Airport, one of the largest airports by land area globally, regularly patrols the airfield and has experienced fence jumpers before, with safety and security remaining a top priority.