American Airlines passengers evacuate onto wing after jet catches fire
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An American Airlines Inc. plane at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado. Photo: Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images
An American Airlines plane caught fire at Denver International Airport while taxiing to the gate after landing Thursday evening — forcing passengers to evacuate onto the plane's wing, video from the scene shows.
The big picture: The airport said on X 12 people were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries following the incident aboard the plane that was carrying 178 people, which the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating.
- Flight 1006 was en route from Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport when it "diverted to and landed safely" in Denver about 5:15pm local time after the crew reported "engine vibrations," per an FAA statement.
- Passengers "evacuated the aircraft using the slides," the FAA said.
Zoom in: The Boeing 737-800 jet was carrying 172 customers and six crew members when it "experienced an engine-related issue," an American Airlines spokesperson said in an emailed statement early Friday.
- "We thank our crew members, [the Denver airport] 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 spokesperson said.
- American Airlines was sending a replacement aircraft and crew to Denver to help customers continue on to Dallas.
- The affected jet is about 13 years old, per flight tracking site FlightRadar24.
- Representatives for Boeing declined to comment on the matter.
Go deeper: Is it safe to fly? NTSB data says yes
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
