A flight bound for Miami was evacuated at Denver International Airport on Saturday after reporting a mechanical incident that prompted a rejected take off. One person has been hospitalised with minor injuries, according to officials.
Flight Crew operating American Airlines flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, reported a problem during the accelerating phase around 2:45 p.m. local time which forced the aircraft to stop on the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration later reported the crew experienced a “possible landing gear incident” prior to take off.
Smoke and Flames Prompt Rapid Evacuation
The mechanical incident prompted emergency slides to be deployed after smoke and fire were noticed underneath the rear side of the plane. All 173 passengers and six cabin crew members safely got off the plane and to the airport terminal by bus, according to airline and airport officials. One passenger was taken to hospital due to minor injuries, while 5 were assessed on site according to the DIA.
“The plane started vibrating and shaking really bad”, said Shay Armistead, 17, a passenger aboard flight 3023. “We started tilting to the left side of the runway, and then we heard the wind from them lifting up the brakes and slamming on them really hard”, she told CNN.
Aircraft Removed from Service after Mechanical Incident
American Airlines said the airplane experienced an aircraft maintenance issue related to one of its tires. The plane has been grounded to undergo inspection and a replacement aircraft was put into service to allow passenger to continue their journey to Miami.
Videos shared on social media platforms captured thick smoke emanating from underneath the aircraft as passengers exited through the emergency slides and gathered on the tarmac, awaiting transport back to the terminal.
Denver Airport Delays Ripple across Operations
Denver International Airport, the third busiest in North America and sixth-busiest in the world in terms of passenger traffic, issued a ground stop during the incident for all inbound flights that had not taken off their original destination. FlightAware flight tracking service reported over 300 flight delays by Saturday evening. Operations have since returned to normal.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident.
The American carrier recently experienced another mechanical incident. Last month, flight 1665, operated by an Airbus A321 returned to Las Vegas airport shortly after takeoff due to a reported technical issue. The aircraft landed safely and an inspection found no evidence of fire, despite witness reports of smoke coming from the aircraft shortly after liftoff.
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