DENVER (AP) – A fire on an American Airlines plane after decouping an airplane at Denver International Airport caused passengers to escape to the wings as clouds of smoke swirl. Airport officials said 12 people were taken to hospitals where they had minor injuries.
The country has seen recent aviation disasters and close calls terrify air travel, but flying remains a safe way to travel. Recent ground accidents included a plane that crashed and turned over when it landed in Toronto, and a Japan Airlines plane that cut out a delta plane that had parked while taxiing at Seattle Airport.
Read more: people worry about flying with air disasters and close phone calls
Flight 1006 headed from Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth on Thursday, but was reused to Denver after crews reported engine vibrations. It landed safely around 5:15pm, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. The Boeing 737-800's engine caused a fire as it became a taxi at the gate, the FAA added.
Passengers described people leaving the plane to the left wing as the engines under the right wing burned and black smoke surrounded the aircraft. According to the FAA, they reached the ground using slides and ladders that were taken over to the ground side by side. Video footage, passenger interviews.
All 172 passengers and six crew members were evacuated safely, authorities said. American Airlines introduced questions about 12 people taken to hospital by local officials.
The damaged plane was seen parked behind an airport hangar on Friday.
Passenger accounts about what happened
Passenger Hani Levy said they felt “very strong vibrations” after the plane took off, and then the announcement continued that an emergency landing was made in Denver due to obvious engine issues.
When the plane became a taxi at the gate, a former Las Vegas military mechanic sitting in a window seat opened fire after smoke came from its wings. Passengers said they would be evacuated, but Levi said some people were in panic and the mother cried out that she needed to get off with her two children.
As people crowded the exit, black smoke filled the cabin, but Levi had to remain seated as a disabled woman was between her and the aisle. While they waited for the wheelchair, Levi saw the black smoke and flames spewing from her wings from her feet just outside her seat. You can hear Levi rocking to get off the plane on video.
“I chose to stay calm,” Levi said. He said he tried to breathe deeply so that he wouldn't inhale the smoke.
Passenger Daniel Friedman said he began to think about writing a follow-up story as the chaotic evacuation unfolded. He explained that people were pushing in to push and get off.
“I really just wanted to be safe here and make sure I didn't know if that would happen,” Friedman told WRAL-TV.
Ten people were taken to University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, but spokesman Kelly Christensen said there was no update on how many people were on Friday.
The exchange and crew took passengers to Dallas-Fort Worth, the airline said. According to Flight Tracking website FlightAware, the flight landed around 5am local time.
How common is airplane engine fire?
American Airlines said in a statement that the flight experienced engine-related issues after directing it to the gate. There was no exact clarification when the plane was lit.
According to aviation expert Stephen Wallace, engine fires are rare and crews are trained to deal with them. Airplanes can fly with a single engine, so they are not usually catastrophic when they occur in the air, he said.
“A pilot working for an airline today could probably fly for 30 years and not experience an engine failure,” said Wallace, former director of the FAA's accident investigation office.
Two engine fires have made news in recent weeks. They were preparing to launch the March 1 fire on a United Airlines flight on February 2, preparing to take off from Houston, and a FedEx cargo plane that landed in New Jersey after a bird strike.
Watch: Former FAA administrator discusses the current state of aviation safety
Former National Road Safety Commission Chairman James Hall said engine vibrations reported on American flights were unusual, but said many issues caused fires with them, making it difficult to speculate.
Regarding recent aviation incidents, “If we consider past history, we can classify it as unusual,” Hall said, but “I don't know if there's enough information to draw a conclusion.”
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board said they would investigate.
The plane was built in 2012 with CFM International engines. Boeing declined to comment, and CFM did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In a statement, American Airlines thanked its employees and first responders for their prompt and decisive action following the accident.
Colorado resident Ian Paisley was flying from Denver to Hawaii with his family on Friday and heard about the fire on Thursday, but didn't think it would change their plans.
“We can have confidence that these are horrible things that happen and are very scary to people, but they don't affect our lives for most of us,” he said.
Blumfield reported that it had been reported from Washington and Brown from Billings, Montana.
