A terrifying scene unfolded at Denver International Airport when an American Airlines plane suddenly caught fire upon landing, forcing passengers to scramble onto the aircraft’s wing to escape the flames.
The shocking incident took place on the evening of March 13, as Flight 1006, a Boeing 737-800, was en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. However, the flight was diverted to Denver after the crew detected troubling engine vibrations mid-air.
Despite the initial alert, there was no declared emergency when the aircraft touched down at 5:15 p.m. local time. But within minutes of taxiing on the tarmac, one of the engines erupted in flames. Thick black smoke began billowing from the aircraft, and an emergency evacuation was ordered.
As fire engulfed the engine, crew members hurriedly directed all 172 passengers and six crew members to exit the plane. Some slid down emergency chutes, while others climbed onto the aircraft’s wing, desperate to get away from the smoke and flames.
Amid the chaos, airport firefighters arrived and began dousing the burning engine with water. Eyewitness footage circulating online captured the intensity of the situation—passengers standing on the wing, smoke pouring from the jet, and fire crews working frantically to contain the blaze.
One of the passengers, Gabrielle Hibbitts, later described the horrifying moment to CBS News Colorado. “As soon as we landed, there was this weird smell, like burning plastic. Then people started screaming, yelling that the engine was on fire,” she recalled.
Her mother, Ingrid, described the ordeal as “surreal,” admitting she feared for their lives. “We thought the plane was going to blow up. I am beyond grateful that this happened on the ground and not while we were still in the air,” she said.
Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation and were transported to a nearby hospital for medical attention. The Denver Fire Department confirmed that the fire was successfully extinguished, and all passengers were safely removed from the aircraft.
American Airlines quickly issued a statement, commending its flight crew, ground staff, and emergency responders for their swift actions, ensuring that no lives were lost.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident. Audio recordings between the pilot and air traffic control have also surfaced, revealing that the crew had initially downplayed the issue, stating it was not an emergency. “We just have a high engine vibration, so we are cruising slower than normal,” the pilot reported just moments before landing.
However, the situation rapidly escalated, leading to frantic mayday calls as personnel alerted ground teams about the engine fire.
The dramatic fire onboard American Airlines Flight 1006 is just the latest in a growing number of troubling aviation incidents in the United States.
Earlier this year, a commercial American Airlines flight collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., tragically killing 67 people. Just days later, a medical transport plane crashed into a residential area in Philadelphia, resulting in six fatalities.
In February, another deadly accident occurred when a commuter plane crashed in Alaska, killing ten people. That same month, a Delta Airlines aircraft flipped onto its back while landing in Toronto, leaving 18 injured.
With aviation safety concerns mounting, authorities are now under increasing pressure to enforce stricter maintenance protocols and enhance passenger safety measures. As for the American Airlines fire, the FAA’s investigation will seek to determine whether mechanical failure, human error, or maintenance negligence played a role in the alarming incident.