A Frontier Airlines passenger has shared their account on Reddit after the plane struck and killed a person on the runway during takeoff at Denver International Airport.
The Redditor who goes by That_Goat_9791 claimed to be a middle school teacher travelling with their infant daughter on May 8, 2026, which was also Mother’s Day.
The passenger praised the unnamed pilot before detailing the sequence of events.
The passenger credited the pilot with quickly addressing a fire caused by the impact, contacting air traffic control and overseeing the safe evacuation of passengers. The Redditor wrote, “His fast, clear decision-making was certainly a reason we are all safe.”
MY GOSH: Shocking thermal footage captures Frontier Airlines Flight 4345 moments before striking and killing a trespasser on the runway at Denver International Airport during takeoff.
— RedWave Press (@RedWavePress) May 10, 2026
The captain rejected the takeoff and brought the plane to a complete stop on the runway before… pic.twitter.com/wtRab2ebpt
The passenger even sent a message to the pilot thanking him for keeping both them and their daughter safe. During the impact, the Redditor claimed to have been asleep with their infant daughter.
The passenger described hearing a “loud boom” before the engine caught fire. The passenger recalled thinking, “Oh my God, we are in a crash…” before realizing the plane was still on the ground.
In the heat of the moment, the passenger claimed to have let out some expletives. The Redditor also revealed being the only parent aboard the Frontier flight at the time. As soon as it was safe for passengers to deboard, evacuation began.
The Frontier Flight Passenger Was One of the Only People Who Followed the Flight Attendant’s Instructions
Shortly after the emergency slide inflated, flight attendants instructed passengers to ensure their safety and the safety of others. They also instructed them to remain careful about skidding on the ground, which can, in some cases, cause serious injuries.
Passengers were also told not to carry baggage down the slide — an instruction the Redditor said few others followed, though they complied while carrying their infant Shortly after deboarding, the passengers awaited updates in the aftermath.
According to the post, other passengers had access to clean clothes and phone chargers while the Redditor was managing a baby in a dirty diaper with no supplies
The individual recalled, saying, “We stood in lines in the Denver airport for hours and hours to get accounted for and provide our information about bags left on board.”
According to the passenger's Reddit post, Frontier Airlines refunded all 231 passengers and offered an additional $500 in flight credit. However, this particular Frontier Airlines passenger claimed not to have received the refund yet.
After that, they were each put on the 6:00 AM flight to their original destination in Los Angeles.
The Redditor said they had not yet received their car keys, house keys, wallet and other personal belongings left on the plane and hoped the airline would locate and return them promptly. The individual has yet to respond to The Daily Dot for a comment.
