Chaos erupted at Denver International Airport after an American Airlines flight was forced to abort takeoff on Saturday due to a landing gear malfunction that led to smoke filling the cabin and triggered a full-scale emergency evacuation.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight 1685—bound for Charlotte, North Carolina—was speeding down the runway at around 2:45 p.m. when pilots noticed a critical mechanical problem with the aircraft’s landing gear. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, which was carrying 173 passengers and six crew members, came to a sudden stop and deployed emergency slides.
CNN reported that the plane had already flagged a maintenance concern involving a tire prior to its scheduled departure. The situation escalated when smoke began to spread inside the cabin, causing panic among passengers and prompting an immediate evacuation.
First responders from both Denver International Airport and the Denver Fire Department arrived quickly at the scene. All passengers and crew members were safely removed from the aircraft and transported back to the terminal.
While no life-threatening injuries were reported, five individuals were medically assessed at the airport and one was taken to the hospital with a minor injury.
Video clips circulating on social media show frightened passengers sliding down inflatable chutes and running across the tarmac as smoke streamed from the plane. “The plane had started to roll for takeoff, and then there was this sudden stop,” a passenger told CBS News Colorado. “Then the smoke came. People were shouting to get out, and the next thing we knew, the emergency doors were open and we were on the slides.”
In a statement, American Airlines apologized for the incident and commended its staff for acting swiftly:
“The aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. All customers and crew deplaned safely. The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”
Affected passengers were rebooked on a replacement flight to Miami later that day.
The FAA has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the malfunction.
