Video shows passenger jet fatally strike person on Denver airport runway
NBC News • • business
Key Points:
- A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 struck and killed a trespasser on a runway at Denver International Airport late Friday night, causing one engine to catch fire and prompting an aborted takeoff with 224 passengers and seven crew aboard.
- Security footage shows the individual walking onto the runway moments before the aircraft, en route to Los Angeles, collided with them, leading to a fire and smoke entering the cabin.
- Passengers described panic and chaos during the emergency evacuation, with 12 people reporting minor injuries and five hospitalized; some criticized the crew's conflicting instructions during the process.
- Airport officials confirmed the deceased was not an employee and pledged to review perimeter security, while investigations by the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are ongoing.
- Survivors expressed shock and concern over how the person accessed the tarmac, calling for improved security measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.