A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321neo struck and killed a person on the runway during takeoff from Denver International Airport on Friday night, authorities reported.
The incident occurred around 11:19 p.m. MT on Runway 17L as Flight 4345, bound for Los Angeles International Airport, accelerated for departure. The aircraft carried 224 passengers and seven crew members. The person, described by Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy as a trespasser, had scaled a perimeter fence and run onto the runway.
The collision caused the individual to be at least partially ingested by one engine, sparking a fire that filled the cabin with smoke. Pilots aborted takeoff, and passengers evacuated safely using slides. Twelve people sustained minor injuries, with five transported to hospitals.
Denver Fire Department extinguished the blaze. The runway remained closed until reopening around 11 a.m. Saturday. Officials confirmed the victim was not an airport employee. The National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, and local law enforcement are investigating the security breach and incident.
Frontier Airlines stated it is coordinating with authorities to gather more information. Most passengers later departed on a replacement flight.