This may be one of the more baffling and frightening stories you will hear about something happening at an airport and/or during air travel. Late Friday night, as the flight crew of a commerial airplane was beginning its takeoff at a major U.S. airport, the combination of what came to pass could only be described as chaotic. Luckily, almost everyone involved got through it unscathed, with just minor injuries. One man who made a careless choice was not so fortunate.
As I mentioned, the Frontier Airlines plane was gaining speed and preparing to leave the ground at Denver International Airport (DIA) when, unbelievably, they reported to the tower their plane had just hit “somebody” – that is, a person:
One person was struck and killed by a Frontier Airlines plane two minutes after jumping a perimeter fence and crossing a runway at Denver International Airport late Friday, the airport said.
The pedestrian, who has not been identified, is not believed to be an airport employee, the airport said in a statement.
Flight 4345, an Airbus A321, was departing from Denver en route to Los Angeles and carried 224 passengers and seven crew members, Frontier Airlines said in a statement. It was scheduled to depart at 10:39 p.m. local time.
As the plane was departing, “the aircraft reportedly struck a pedestrian on the runway during takeoff,” the airline said.
No one else was killed, although some of those with minor injuries needed a trip to the hospital:
Emergency crews responded to the scene, and passengers were taken to the terminal. Twelve people reported minor injuries, and five of them were transported to local hospitals, according to the airport.
Incredible as this might sound, it gets even weirder. The airport statement continued:
“Smoke was reported in the cabin and the pilots aborted takeoff. Passengers were then safely evacuated via slides as a matter of precaution.”
The air traffic control tower recorded the “pedestrian” incident just after it happened.
Listen:
Air traffic control audio captured the moment after a Frontier Airlines flight struck and killed a pedestrian on the runway while departing Denver International Airport on Friday.
The person, who has not been identified, jumped the perimeter fence and was hit two minutes later… pic.twitter.com/Y6OqgMG2pt
— CBS News (@CBSNews) May 9, 2026
The pilot told controllers there were 231 people and more than 21,000 pounds of fuel on board, according to the audio clip.
Data from flight-tracking website Flightradar24 showed the plane was accelerating at about 146 mph at roughly 11:15 p.m. local time before it aborted takeoff.
RedState has written at length about air accidents that have taken place at or near U.S. airports in recent years, with one such incident, the tragic Jan. 2025, mid-air collision of a Black Hawk helicopter into a commercial airliner, ruled by the NTSB as “100 percent preventable”:
Breaking: NTSB Finds D.C. Mid-Air Collision Involving Black Hawk Helicopter Was ‘100% Preventable’
One of the passengers, Jose Cervantes, spoke to CNN affiliate KCNC about his mom’s experience:
Cervantes’ mother was one of the passengers injured, he told KCNC. “My mom actually ended up going straight down the slide and, like, locking her knee when she hit the floor,” Cervantes said. “She doesn’t have any fractures, but we still gotta take her to the ER.”
Frontier released a statement after the accident: “We are deeply saddened by this event.”
The FAA is investigating, spokesperson Jon Henning told CNN, according to the outlet’s reporting linked above. The agency also has partnered with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), along with DIA management and local police, to piece together the puzzling incident, according to a statement from the NTSB on Saturday.
Transportation Sec. Sean Duffy also commented the morning after – on the bizarre and dangerous actions by the man who sadly lost his life, while reportedly causing a preventable scare for hundreds of people:
Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int’l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway.
The trespasser on the runway was then struck by Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 during takeoff at high speed. The pilot stopped… https://t.co/x2oVY1b0AH
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) May 9, 2026
The full statement reads:
Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int’l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway.
The trespasser on the runway was then struck by Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 during takeoff at high speed. The pilot stopped takeoff procedures immediately.
The Frontier plane was then quickly evacuated while law enforcement and firefighters responded.
Preliminary reports are 12 people were hurt, with 5 taken to the hospital.
Local law enforcement handles airport security and is investigating with support from the @FAANews and TSA.
No one should EVER trespass on an airport.
You would think that something like “Don’t climb a fence onto the active tarmac of an airport” should be common sense and does not need to be said aloud. Unfortunately, that was not the case on Saturday in the Centennial state.
