Disturbing footage has surfaced, capturing the terrifying moment an American Airlines jet caught fire after landing, leaving passengers scrambling for safety.On Thursday, March 13, a routine flight turned into a nightmare when an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 suddenly ignited after touching down at Denver International Airport.
Nearly 200 passengers were forced to evacuate, with some escaping onto the aircraft’s wing while thick plumes of black smoke filled the air.
As chaos unfolded, firefighters quickly arrived on the scene, spraying the burning engine with water while passengers rushed to exit the aircraft.
Dozens of passengers could be seen cramming on the wings of the jet as it caught fireTwitter/@flynnstone
Emergency slides were deployed, allowing passengers to evacuate as quickly as possible.The flight had departed from Colorado Springs at 4:52 PM local time, headed for Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
However, the journey was cut short when the crew reported ‘engine vibrations,’ prompting an emergency diversion to Denver, where the situation rapidly escalated upon landing.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) later issued a statement explaining the incident: “After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the aircraft using the slides.”The aircraft, operating as American Airlines Flight 1006, was carrying 172 passengers along with six crew members when the fire erupted.
Initially, the pilot had communicated with air traffic control, reporting engine trouble but downplaying the severity of the situation, reports the Independent.
Firefighters doused the jet in water while some passengers were taken to hospitalTwitter/@flynnstone
In an audio recording, an air traffic controller can be heard confirming with the pilot: “American 10,006, uh, 1006 just to verify not an emergency still, correct?”The pilot responded: “Nah, we just have a high engine vibration so we are cruising slower than normal.”
However, just moments later, mayday calls flooded the airwaves as personnel reported the emergency engine fire.
Denver International Airport officials later confirmed that the fire was successfully extinguished and that all passengers had been evacuated safely.Gabrielle Hibbitts, one of the passengers on board, described the horrifying experience to CBS News Colorado.
She recalled: “As soon as the plane landed, we smelled this weird burning plastic smell and then everybody started screaming and saying there was a fire.”
The engine reportedly caught fire after landingTwitter/@EdKrassen
Another passenger added: “There was smoke everywhere,”Meanwhile, Gabrielle’s mother, Ingrid, reflected on how close the disaster came to being even worse.
She stated: “I’m really grateful that this happened on the ground because if this happened in the air, I don’t think I’d be standing here telling you the story.”
Emergency responders confirmed that 12 passengers sustained minor injuries and were transported to a hospital for treatment.
In response, American Airlines released a statement thanking its flight crew, Denver airport staff, and emergency responders for their swift action in ensuring everyone’s safety.The FAA has since launched an investigation to determine the cause of the engine fire, as per NY Post.
The incident adds to growing concerns over recent aviation emergencies in the U.S., with multiple crashes and near-misses raising questions about airline safety.
Earlier this year, an American Airlines flight collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C., resulting in 67 fatalities.Shortly after, a medical transport plane crashed into a residential area in Philadelphia, tragically killing six people, including a child patient and a bystander on the ground.
Another tragic accident followed in Alaska, where a commuter plane went down, taking the lives of 10 passengers.
