United Airlines Engine Catches Fire At DIA
131 Passengers, 5 Crew Members Evacuate Via Inflatable Slides
POSTED: 10:32 pm MST April 1, 2005
UPDATED: 9:02 am MST April 2, 2005
DENVER -- An engine on an United Airline jetliner caught fire as pilots revved up the engines for takeoff at Denver International Airport Friday, forcing pilots to abort takeoff and evacuate the flight's 131 passengers and five crew members via emergency inflatable slides.
Flight 408 from Denver to La Guardia Airport in New York spewed flames that were reported by the crew of another plane when the engine on the right wing of the Airbus A320 stalled during takeoff at about 7 p.m. MST, said United spokeswoman Jenna Obluck.
Several minor injuries, mainly sprained ankles, were reported after the evacuation, airport spokesman Dan Melfi said. Neither Melfi or Obluck knew how many passengers were injured.
Melfi said the pilots used an onboard fire extinguishing system to put out the flames and the airport's fire department also responded. Passengers were bused to the airport's Concourse B, where they were to catch a flight to La Guardia around 11:30 p.m.
"The main thing is that everybody is OK," Obluck said.
No other flights were affected at the airport, which has six runways, Melfi said.