Frontier Flight Hits Pedestrian on Denver Runway, Passengers Evacuated

A Frontier Airlines flight departing Denver International Airport struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff late Friday night, prompting an emergency evacuation of all passengers and crew. Frontier Flight 4345, an Airbus A321 carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, was headed to Los Angeles International Airport when the incident occurred around 11:19 p.m. local time.

The collision reportedly caused smoke to fill the cabin, leading the pilots to abort takeoff. Passengers were evacuated using emergency slides as a precaution. Videos shared on social media captured the moment of impact, with a loud crashing sound followed by screams from inside the plane. Additional footage showed damaged engine blades and smoke inside the cabin.

Emergency responders, including the Denver Fire Department, arrived promptly and extinguished a brief engine fire, though it remains unclear if the fire was directly related to the collision. The airport closed runway 17L, where the incident took place, and notified the National Transportation Safety Board, which is now investigating alongside the Federal Aviation Administration.

No information has been released regarding the condition of the pedestrian struck by the aircraft. Frontier Airlines expressed deep sadness over the event but confirmed no injuries among passengers or crew. After evacuation, passengers waited on the runway in cold weather for about an hour before being transported back to the terminal by bus.

John Anthens, a passenger seated over the wing, described seeing a spark followed by a large explosion near the engine. “Passengers were screaming, and thick smoke filled the cabin,” he said. The flight was subsequently rescheduled for departure later Saturday morning.

Both Frontier Airlines and Denver International Airport are cooperating with authorities as investigations continue into the cause of the collision and the engine fire.