Runway Horror: Plane Strikes Pedestrian at Denver Airport

A startling incident occurred late Friday at Denver International Airport when a Frontier Airlines plane reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during its takeoff roll. Flight 4345, en route to Los Angeles with 224 passengers and 7 crew members aboard, was accelerating for departure when the impact reportedly occurred. Pilots aborted the takeoff, and smoke was observed in the cabin, leading to a precautionary evacuation of all passengers via emergency slides.

Emergency services quickly responded to the scene. The Denver airport confirmed the aircraft reported striking a pedestrian around 11:19 p.m. local time, with a brief engine fire that was swiftly extinguished. Air traffic control audio captured the pilot reporting the impact. The investigation into this serious event is ongoing, with Runway 17L temporarily closed.