Fatal Incident at Denver Airport Involving Frontier Airlines Plane
Recently released footage shows the tragic moment a Frontier Airlines plane struck a person at Denver International Airport late on Friday. The black-and-white video depicts a small figure approaching the runway, stepping directly into the plane’s path. Subsequently, the plane’s right engine collided with the individual, resulting in an immediate fire, as reported by ABC7.
Air traffic controllers communicated, noting, “There are limbs on the runway. We believe the aircraft hit a person directly,” according to information obtained by TMZ.
Flight 4345, an Airbus A321 en route from Denver to Los Angeles, had 224 passengers and seven crew members on board when the incident occurred. The airport authorities stated that a pedestrian had breached the perimeter fence just two minutes prior to the collision. It was around 11:15 p.m. local time when the plane accelerated to approximately 146 mph, at which point the pilot aborted the takeoff.
Officials confirmed that, as a result of the incident, 12 passengers experienced minor injuries, while five were transported to local hospitals. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy indicated that the individual had “deliberately” scaled the perimeter fence to enter the runway, asserting in a statement on X, “No one should invade the airport.”
Following the incident, it was noted that the perimeter fencing around the airport remained intact, with officials relying on video surveillance and regular inspections to oversee the area. Frontier Airlines expressed its deep sadness regarding the event.
Typically, large airports such as Denver employ intrusion detection systems, which include cameras and motion sensors situated along the perimeter. The runway where the collision occurred is located at least 2.25 miles from the main airport structure. Security expert Jeff Price explained that airport perimeter fences are normally between 6 to 8 feet high, often topped with barbed wire.
Denver’s Chief Medical Examiner, Sterling McLaren, reported that the death was ruled a suicide, identifying the man as 41-year-old Michael Mott. Unfortunately, the note left by Mott was never recovered.
The Federal Aviation Administration is currently investigating the incident in collaboration with Frontier Airlines, Denver International Airport, and local authorities.
