An American Airlines aircraft suddenly caught fire after it was diverted to Denver International Airport on Thursday night, forcing passengers to evacuate onto the plane's wing as dense black smoke spread across the tarmac. Flight AA 1006 took off from Colorado Springs Airport at 4:52 p.m. and was bound for Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
American Airlines Flight 1006, with 172 passengers and six crew members, landed in Denver at 5:15 p.m and the aircraft's engine caught fire while it was taxiing on the tarmac, FAA said. "After landing and while taxiing to the gate an engine caught fire and passengers evacuated the aircraft using the slides," said the FAA.
Major Tragedy Avoided
The harrowing evacuation on the tarmac is the most recent in a string of crashes and close calls involving U.S. passenger planes, including the American Airlines flight that collided with a helicopter in January, resulting in 67 deaths.
The incidents have heightened public concerns about aviation safety, especially following Donald Trump's FAA overhaul, which led to widespread staff cuts just weeks after the deadly crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Footage from Thursday's fire showed extensive damage to the aircraft, with a section on the right side above the wing scorched black.
Emergency slides were deployed, and passengers were spotted moving around the tarmac near the plane as they were guided to safety.
Denver International Airport told KDVR that an American Airlines aircraft at gate C38 caught fire on Thursday evening, generating "visible smoke." "Passengers were evacuated and the slides were deployed," the airport said.
The fire was successfully put out, and no serious injuries were reported. A video taken from inside the airport captured ground crew assembling ladders beneath the wing to help passengers disembark.
Eventually, portable stairs were positioned at the wing's edge, allowing travelers to descend safely onto the tarmac before regrouping inside the terminal.
Dramatic Footage
Thick clouds of black smoke were seen rising into the sky in footage shared online. Emergency responders were spotted spraying water over the aircraft while it remained parked at Terminal C.
One man was seen holding onto a woman as they cautiously made their way across the unsteady wing.
According to ABC News, only a few minor injuries were sustained during the evacuation, with six passengers taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
"The 172 customers and six crew members deplaned and are being relocated to the terminal. We thank our crew members, DEN team and first responders for their quick and decisive action with the safety of everyone on board and on the ground as the priority," the airline said.
The American Airlines crash in Washington, D.C., was the deadliest U.S. air disaster in 24 years and the first major commercial passenger plane crash in the country since the 2009 Colgan Air Flight tragedy.
In another incident, a Delta passenger jet crash-landed upside down in a chaotic scene at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada. Amazingly, everyone on board survived, hanging upside down in their seats for several minutes before cautiously beginning the evacuation.
The aircraft had been traveling from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to Toronto with 76 passengers and four crew members on board.
