A tragic incident occurred at Denver International Airport on Friday evening when a Frontier Airlines flight collided with a pedestrian during its takeoff sequence.

Flight 4345, an Airbus A321neo bound for Los Angeles, struck an unidentified individual on the runway around 11 p.m., resulting in the pedestrian's death.

Chilling Audio Reveals Moments of Impact

Newly released air traffic control (ATC) audio captures the harrowing moments following the collision. Approximately two minutes before the accident, an ATC employee warned pilots about "a party walking on the runway."

Despite the warning, the aircraft had already been cleared for takeoff. After the impact, the pilot informed the tower, "Tower, Frontier 4345, we're stopping on the runway. Uh, we just hit somebody… we have an engine fire."

The ATC employee confirmed the severity of the crash, stating, "I do have limbs on the runway, I believe the aircraft has struck an individual," and later added, "I've got what appears to be a deceased person on the runway."

Emergency Evacuation and Passenger Injuries

The collision caused the victim to become partially trapped in one of the engines, which subsequently filled the aircraft cabin with smoke. The pilot calmly coordinated an emergency evacuation with air traffic control.

All 224 passengers and the crew exited the plane using emergency slides. Some passengers reported waiting for three minutes on the aircraft before the evacuation began.

At least 12 passengers were treated for minor injuries, with five individuals transported to local hospitals. The remaining passengers were bused back to the terminal and eventually departed on a replacement Frontier flight.

Witness Accounts

Passengers described a horrific scene, with one witness recalling seeing the victim's legs spinning inside the engine. Social media photos, which the Daily Mail declined to publish, showed blood within the impacted engine.

Investigation and Airport Security

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued a statement on social media condemning the actions of the pedestrian. The incident is currently being investigated by Frontier Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also notified.

Runway 17L was closed immediately following the crash but reopened by 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Denver International Airport officials confirmed that the victim was not an employee. An inspection of the fenceline revealed it remained intact, indicating there were no signs of forced entry. The airport expressed its sympathies to everyone involved in the tragedy.