![Shutterstock [Robin Guess]](https://avweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/shutterstock_2606184451-scaled.jpg)
Federal investigators are reviewing the emergency evacuation of a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321neo after the aircraft struck and killed a person during a rejected takeoff Friday night at Denver International Airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is collecting information about the incident, with particular attention on the evacuation and emergency response that followed the runway collision. The FAA, Denver police, TSA and airport officials are also involved in the investigation.
According to airport authorities, Frontier Flight 4345 was departing Denver for Los Angeles shortly after 11 p.m. when the crew rejected takeoff after hitting a person who had entered the airfield. Officials said the individual had breached the airport perimeter fence before entering the movement area and is not believed to have been an airport employee. Newly released surveillance footage appears to show the individual walking across the runway moments before the collision.
Passengers evacuated the aircraft on the runway using emergency slides after reports of smoke and possible engine damage following the impact. Airport officials said 12 people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, and several were taken to local hospitals for evaluation.
The NTSB has not yet announced whether it will launch a full investigation, but investigators are examining how the evacuation unfolded and how the individual gained access to the secured airfield area.
The A321neo was carrying more than 220 passengers and seven crewmembers. The aircraft remained on the runway for several hours while authorities processed the scene, temporarily affecting airport operations overnight.
Denver International Airport said the runway reopened Saturday morning after investigators completed their initial work.
While you’re at it, identify and lifetime ban anyone who opened an overhead bin to take their carry-on with them during the slide evacuation.
Evacuation is research on the side, crew did well in commanding evacuation given smoke..
THE question is how the individual was able to get over airport fence and why. Escaping someone, getting to something on the other side, or suicide?
From the video it appears F/A’s deployed the evacuation slide on the same side as the engine fire. Normally they would dump them on the opposite side from where the fire originated.
Can’t say I’m a fan of the bias in language in these reports. “… aircraft struck and killed a person…” makes it seem the poor “pedestrian”, as they are described in other reports was intentionally targeted. The evil airline killed someone is the takeaway? How about “Criminal Access to Active Runway Ends Perpetrators Life As The Tower Looks On?” Tower says"…yeah, I see that…" in communications with the pilots after the impact. The “that” was crossing the grounds for quite some time as seen in the surveillance tapes. Why didn’t the FAA react to the security breach immediately and appropriately? Is the NTSB covering for the ineptness of itself and the FAA’s responsibility by diverting attention to the evacuation instead of their own faults as they did in DC? Just asking.
The aircraft did strike and did kill the person, who was on foot, ergo a pedestrian. So the reporting was—surprisingly—factual and without sensational embellishment. The bias seems to be all yours.
Without additional supporting information, no rational person would takeaway from the reporting that an evil airline used a jet airplane, loaded with fuel and passengers, to target a person wandering about on the runway for extermination.
I suspect the FAA didn’t react to the perimeter breach because they’re not in the “mall cop” business, providing security services to guard airport fences. Try the TSA.
Your defense is all anyone needs to make my point.