Frontier Airlines is investigating after a flight struck and killed a person on a runway at Denver International Airport (DEN) on Friday night.
The airport told Newsweek in a statement on Saturday that the “pedestrian jumped the perimeter fence and was hit just two minutes later while crossing the runway. The pedestrian is deceased, and is not believed to be an employee of the airport nor have they been identified. The airport has examined the fence line and found it to be intact.”
The crash happened at approximately 11:19 p.m. during Frontier Flight 4345’s takeoff, the airport said. “Emergency crews responded to the scene, and passengers were bussed to the terminal and the majority have since departed DEN on a new Frontier flight,” it added.
Air traffic control audio showed the pilot of Flight 4345 radioed, “Tower, Frontier 4345, we’re stopping on the runway,” before adding, “we just hit somebody… we have an engine fire.” He later added, “There was an individual walking across the runway We’ve got smoke on the aircraft. We’re going to evacuate on the runway.”
Frontier told Newsweek the Airbus A321 aircraft was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members when it “reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff” en route to Los Angeles International Airport.
The airport added that 12 people reported minor injuries and 5 of these were transported to local hospitals. Runway 17L remains closed for investigation and “we expect it will be open within the next couple hours.”
“We are extremely saddened by this incident and express our sympathies to those involved.”
Frontier added that “we are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” via a spokesperson and statement. “We are deeply saddened by this event.”
The incident is the latest in a series of recent airport safety issues, and comes amid growing scrutiny over understaffing at air traffic control systems.
Smoke in the Cabin, Then an Evacuation
Smoke was reported in the cabin and takeoff was aborted before passengers were evacuated via slides “as a matter of precaution,” Frontier said.
The airport said a brief engine fire “was promptly extinguished” by the Denver Fire Department. “The National Transportation Safety Board has been notified. Runway 17L will remain closed while the investigation is conducted,” the statement added.
Authorities have not yet released further details about the person reportedly struck.
The National Transportation Safety Board told Newsweek Saturday: “NTSB is coordinating with the FAA, airport operations and local law enforcement to collect information about the event, but we do not have any details to share at this time.”
Recent Airport Incidents
Last week, a United Airlines flight hit a tractor-trailer truck as it was driving near Newark Liberty International Airport.The plane struck the truck and a light pole along the New Jersey Turnpike during its landing on Sunday afternoon.
Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) opened an investigation after two commercial flights aborted landings at Reagan Washington National Airport due to a U.S. military Black Hawk helicopter en route to the Pentagon, as reported by Newsweek.
After a deadly mid-air collision on January 29 between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army helicopter that killed 67 people, the FAA imposed permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations near Ronald Reagan National Airport.
In March, two people were killed after an Air Canada plane collided with a Port Authority vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
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05/09/2026 07:45 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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