Passengers Evacuate Onto Wing After American Airlines Engine Fire at Denver Airport

American Airlines Flight 1006, a Boeing 737-800 traveling from Colorado Springs to Dallas-Fort Worth, diverted to Denver at approximately 5:15 p.m. local time after the crew reported “engine vibrations,” the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement.

“After landing and while taxiing to the gate, an engine caught fire,” the FAA said, adding that it is investigating the incident.

Shortly before landing, the pilot informed Denver air traffic controllers of engine issues but clarified that it was not an emergency, according to audio from LiveATC.net.

“American 1006, just to verify, not an emergency still, correct?” a controller asked.

“Nah, we just have a high engine vibration, so we are cruising slower than normal,” the pilot responded.

Minutes later, after the plane landed, an urgent call over the radio escalated the situation: “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Mayday! … engine fire!”

The aircraft arrived at Gate C38, where the fire was extinguished, and all passengers were evacuated, a Denver International Airport spokesperson told CNN.

Images from the scene show thick smoke filling the air as passengers exited the plane onto the wing. Some used an emergency slide, according to video published by Reuters.

Twelve passengers sustained minor injuries and were transported to the hospital, the Denver Fire Department told CNN.

“We thank our crew members, DEN team, and first responders for their quick and decisive action, prioritizing the safety of everyone on board and on the ground,” American Airlines said in a statement.

Kristal Leonard, a Montana traveler waiting for her connecting flight to Colorado Springs, witnessed the scene from inside the airport.

“I was terrified for those passengers,” Leonard told CNN. “I can’t even imagine how scared they must’ve been.”

Video footage shows flames and smoke engulfing the aircraft before ground crews quickly extinguished the fire, leaving behind a misty white haze.

American Airlines is dispatching a replacement aircraft and crew to Denver to assist customers traveling to Dallas, the airline said.

Thursday’s engine fire follows a series of recent aviation incidents, including a Delta Air Lines plane crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport three weeks ago. That accident saw the aircraft overturn and catch fire on the runway.

Earlier this year, fatal crashes occurred in Alaska, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., including a midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in January that claimed 67 lives.

In December, aviation disasters in South Korea and Kazakhstan resulted in over 200 fatalities.