Horrifying new footage shows moments before Frontier Airlines plane collides with person on runway

Disturbing surveillance footage has revealed the final moments before a person was fatally struck by a Frontier Airlines aircraft at Denver International Airport on Saturday.

According to authorities, the individual, who has not yet been publicly identified, entered the airfield after climbing over a perimeter fence and was hit by an Airbus A321neo as it accelerated for takeoff.

What does the video display?

Video released by the City and County of Denver shows the person walking calmly across the runway moments before impact.

The footage appears to show the individual moving slowly from one side of the tarmac to the other, directly into the path of the aircraft.

Reports state the person was aligned with one of the jet’s engines when part of their upper body was pulled inside during takeoff.

The collision occurred approximately two minutes after the person breached the fence, according to KHOU 11. Flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated the plane was travelling at 139 mph at the time.

Public response to the incident

The United States Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, said the “trespasser breached security” and “ran out onto the runway.”

Passenger John Anthens, who was travelling with his sons, described the horrifying moment he realized what had happened while looking out the window.

He told The Post that he saw “the legs of a human spinning around in the engine.”

“The majority of people didn’t know what was going on or what happened, but there was just a big explosion and, obviously, when you hear a big explosion, people start screaming, kids are crying and it was horrific,” Anthens said.

He also described the impact as feeling like a “bomb”-style explosion, saying the front of the plane jolted upward after the collision.

Moments later, the aircraft’s engine reportedly caught fire while passengers remained seated following instructions from flight attendants.

All 224 passengers and seven crew members were safely evacuated from the aircraft using emergency slides.

Anthens said his son, also named John, stopped near the bottom of the evacuation slide and photographed the badly damaged engine. Following the traumatic incident, the family abandoned their travel plans and drove home to Nebraska instead.

The investigation is now being handled by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Featured Image. Credit: City and County of Denver