Frontier Airlines plane hits person on runway during takeoff at Denver airport

"“We’re stopping on the runway,” the pilot of the plane involved told the control tower at one point, according to the site ATC.com. “We just hit somebody. We have an engine fire.” The pilot told the air traffic controller they have 231 souls on board and that an individual was walking across the runway. The air traffic controller responded that they were rolling the trucks now before the pilot told the tower they have smoke in the aircraft. “We are going to evacuate on the runway,” the pilot added."

"Frontier Airlines said in a statement that flight 4345 was the one involved in the collision and that smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. It was not clear whether the smoke was linked to the crash with the person. The plane, an Airbus A321, was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members, the airline said. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities.”"

"Passengers were then evacuated using slides, and the emergency crew bused them to the terminal. Denver's airport said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had been notified and that runway 17L where the incident took place will remain closed while an investigation is conducted. Neither the airport nor the airline has disclosed the person's condition."

A Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 bound for Los Angeles struck a pedestrian on the runway at Denver International Airport during takeoff. The crew reported hitting someone, an engine fire, and smoke in the aircraft. Takeoff was aborted and passengers were evacuated using slides on the runway. Emergency crews transported passengers by bus to the terminal. The airport said the National Transportation Safety Board was notified and that runway 17L would remain closed during the investigation. The airline reported 224 passengers and seven crew members on board and did not disclose the pedestrian’s condition. The smoke’s connection to the collision was not immediately clear.

Read at www.theguardian.com