State Watch

NTSB investigating reported pedestrian strike involving Frontier flight in Denver

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by Steff Danielle Thomas - 05/09/26 7:53 AM ET

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by Steff Danielle Thomas - 05/09/26 7:53 AM ET

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Federal aviation authorities are looking into an incident at Denver International Airport after a Frontier Airlines flight reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway late Friday night.

Frontier Flight 4345 was scheduled to travel from Denver to Los Angeles International Airport when the collision occurred shortly after 1 a.m. EDT. The pilots aborted takeoff and evacuated passengers from the aircraft following the incident.

A brief engine fire was also reported, though it was promptly extinguished, according to officials.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene as passengers were removed from the aircraft and transported back to the terminal by bus. The airport said more than 231 people — including passengers and crew — were on board the Airbus A321 at the time of the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told NewsNation, The Hill’s sister network, in a statement that it is coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration, airport officials and local law enforcement “to collect information about the event.”

“We do not have any details to share at this time,” the NTSB spokesperson said.

Frontier Airlines also put out a statement, saying “We are deeply saddened by this event.”

“We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the airline wrote.

The incident temporarily disrupted operations at one of the nation’s busiest airports after the runway was closed for investigation.

Investigators are now expected to review airport surveillance footage, communications between air traffic controllers and the flight crew, and security procedures surrounding runway access.

Authorities have not publicly identified the person who was struck or why the individual was on the runway — including whether they were an employee or contractor for the airport. Details about their condition were also unclear as of Saturday morning.

No other injuries were reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

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