Video: American Airlines Plane Catches Fire During Takeoff at Denver Airport, Passengers Evacuated

An American Airlines flight bound for Miami was forced to abort takeoff at Denver International Airport on Saturday afternoon after smoke and flames were seen coming from the aircraft, prompting an emergency evacuation. The incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. local time on Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which was carrying 173 passengers and six crew members.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the flight crew reported a possible landing gear issue during departure. As the plane accelerated down the runway, passengers heard a loud boom just seconds before liftoff. Passenger Mark Tsurkis, who recorded footage of the incident, described the moment as frightening but noted that the plane had not yet become airborne.

The pilots quickly decelerated and brought the aircraft to a stop. Within moments, smoke became visible, prompting an emergency evacuation. Passengers exited the aircraft using emergency slides and were transported back to the terminal by bus.

The Denver Fire Department responded and extinguished the fire, which was believed to have originated near the landing gear. American Airlines later confirmed the aircraft experienced a tire-related maintenance issue and has since been removed from service for inspection.

Airport officials reported that five individuals were evaluated at the scene but did not require further treatment. One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.

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