A terrifying scene unfolded at Denver International Airport (DIA) last night as passengers were forced to evacuate an American Airlines Boeing 737 onto the plane’s wing after flames erupted from an engine. The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident, which left 12 passengers with minor injuries.
Engine Trouble and a Harrowing Landing
The flight, originally en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth, was diverted to Denver when pilots reported engine vibrations approximately 20 minutes into the flight. While the landing itself was uneventful, according to the FAA, a fire ignited in the right engine as the plane taxied toward the gate.
Passengers described a chaotic scene as smoke filled the cabin and flames licked the side of the aircraft. One passenger recounted seeing flames and bubbling outside the window, prompting a surge of people attempting to exit the plane. The passenger reported that “everybody’s kind of pushing to get out of the plane. I got out, on the wing and there wasn’t even, like, a slide or anything.”
Chaotic Evacuation: Onto the Wing!
Dramatic video footage shows passengers evacuating via emergency wing exits. Aviation experts have raised concerns about the nature of the evacuation, questioning whether it was ordered by the flight crew or initiated by panicked passengers. Passengers are supposed to use the slide on the plane’s wing. Instead, passengers were walking on the wing to get away. The FAA will investigate how the flight crew responded.
CNN aviation correspondent Pete Benteen emphasized the importance of the video in the investigation. “This dramatic video will be so key to investigators as they try to figure out exactly how this fire started and also how this evacuation took place because we can see it’s a relatively chaotic scene with passengers evacuating the 737 using the emergency wing exits onto the left side of the wing there.”
Expert Insights: What Went Wrong?
Former Transportation Department Inspector General Mary Schiavo pointed to the possibility of a connection to previous “uncontained engine failures” on similar engine models. She referenced a 2018 Southwest Airlines incident where an engine explosion caused debris to breach a window, resulting in a passenger fatality. Schiavo noted the existence of an FAA directive to inspect and replace specific engine parts, suggesting that the investigation will focus on potential mechanical failures and the evacuation process.
CNN aviation analyst Miles O’Brien questioned why the aircraft taxied to the terminal with an engine problem and why an immediate evacuation wasn’t ordered. He also highlighted the presence of an open door on the right side of the plane, the side engulfed in flames, raising concerns about the safety protocols followed during the incident.
FAA Responds to Concerns
The FAA is now looking into the incident and will focus on determining the root cause of the engine fire. They will determine whether or not the evacuation procedure was followed correctly. Fortunately, everyone survived the incident.
Looking Ahead: Aviation Safety Under Scrutiny
This incident adds to a growing list of aviation scares, raising questions about the overall safety of air travel. Schiavo noted that aviation accident statistics for the year are already concerning, surpassing the casualty rates of the past 20 years. While each incident appears to have unique causes, she emphasized the importance of the FAA identifying potential trends and implementing preventative measures to ensure passenger safety. The investigation into the Denver incident is ongoing and its findings will likely inform future safety protocols.
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