More than 170 passengers on an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 were forced to evacuate onto the runway at Denver International Airport on Saturday after a landing gear malfunction sparked a fire and left one person injured.
The aircraft, bound for Miami International Airport with 173 passengers and six crew members, experienced what the Federal Aviation Administration described as a “possible landing gear incident.” The incident occurred shortly before 2:45 p.m. local time, following a loud bang during takeoff roll. Flames were seen under the aircraft, leading to the emergency evacuation.
According to American Airlines, a blown tire and deceleration during braking triggered a brake fire. Emergency crews from the Denver Fire Department quickly extinguished the blaze, and all passengers and crew deplaned safely using the inflatable slide.
Shay Armistead, a 17-year-old passenger en route to Santiago, Chile, with her ski club, described the incident as “traumatizing.” Fellow passenger Margaret Gustafson, 16, recalled seeing flames from her window and holding a teammate’s hand in panic. “One passenger was screaming, ‘We’re all gonna die,’” Armistead told CNN.
Five people were evaluated at the scene, and one was transported to hospital with minor injuries.
The flight, originally scheduled to depart at 1:12 p.m., was grounded as the FAA launched an investigation. American Airlines arranged a replacement aircraft for the passengers to continue their journey.
Saturday’s incident adds to a troubling series of aviation scares at Denver International, one of the world’s busiest airports. It came just a day after a Southwest flight narrowly avoided a mid-air collision with a vintage fighter jet.
Despite the disruption, American Airlines praised its crew’s professionalism and apologized to passengers for the harrowing experience.
