Terrifying moments unfolded at Denver International Airport. A Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, operating American Airlines flight AA3023 from Denver to Miami, was evacuated after a fire broke out in the left main landing gear while preparing for takeoff.
According to a statement by the Denver Fire Department, the incident occurred on Saturday at around 2:45 p.m. local time, just as the plane began accelerating down the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the crew had indicated a possible “landing gear malfunction.”
The 173 passengers and 6 crew members on board were quickly evacuated using the emergency slides after the cockpit crew initiated emergency protocols. Passengers were transported to the terminal building by bus. Authorities stated that five individuals were assessed at the scene, with only one passenger taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
One of the passengers, Mark Tsurkis, shared a video on social media showing smoke and flames rising from the rear of the aircraft and passengers being evacuated in a state of panic.
In an official statement, American Airlines reported that the aircraft had experienced a maintenance issue with one of the tires prior to takeoff and was taken out of service for inspection following the fire. The airline confirmed that passengers would be flown to Miami later the same day on a different flight.
According to data from FlightAware, at least 306 flights were delayed at Denver Airport following the incident. Temporary ground holds were implemented for flights scheduled to depart between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Airport operations returned to normal shortly thereafter.
In another incident at the same airport back in March, an American Airlines aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing due to an engine failure.
The FAA has announced a full investigation into the fire and evacuation incident.
