Passengers Flee Flaming American Airlines Plane On Runway In Denver

Chaos erupted at Denver International Airport on Saturday when American Airlines flight 3023 bound for Miami abruptly aborted its takeoff, forcing 173 passengers and six crew members to evacuate via emergency slides onto the runway. According to ABC News, witnesses reported hearing a “loud boom” as the Boeing 737 Max 8 reached nearly 150 miles per hour (130 knots) on the runway. The sound was followed by smoke and flames emanating from the landing gear.

The evacuation unfolded after what the Federal Aviation Administration described as a “possible landing gear incident during departure,” which American Airlines later clarified resulted from blown tires and a subsequent brake fire caused by rapid deceleration. First responders from the Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the flames while airport officials transported passengers back to the terminal by bus. One person required hospitalization for minor injuries.

The incident occurred just one day after another near-miss in the skies, when a Southwest Airlines flight from Burbank to Las Vegas had to make a sudden descent to avoid a potential midair collision with another aircraft.

American Airlines Passengers Describe Terrifying Moments

“About 10 seconds before we were supposed to lift off, we heard a loud noise, loud boom, from under the plane, like something blew up,” recalled passenger Mark Tsurkis in an interview with WSVN. The traveler detailed the escalating panic inside the cabin. “When the plane stopped about 30 seconds to a minute later, somebody said, ‘Smoke, fire.’ And then a lot of people, of course, started panicking.”

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Cellphone footage captured the frantic scene as passengers rushed to evacuate the aircraft. Videos show thick smoke billowing from from beneath the aircraft while flames were visible near the landing gear. Passengers used inflatable emergency slides to quickly exit the plane, with some clutching their children as they fled to safety.

Air traffic control audio obtained from LiveATC.net reveals the moments when the pilot alerted controllers about the emergency. “You got a lot of smoke,” a controller warned the pilot. Moments later, the controller noted, “There was some flames, it looks like the smoke’s kind of dying down a bit.”

Investigation Underway

The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation into the incident, which adds to recent scrutiny of aviation safety. American Airlines has removed the aircraft from service for a comprehensive inspection. The airline announced that passengers would resume their journey to Miami on a replacement aircraft later that day. In a statement, the airline said, “We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for their experience.”

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