American Airlines passengers were told there was a problem before plane landed at DIA and fire started
DENVER (KDVR) — An announcement was made on American Flight 1006 before it made an unscheduled landing at Denver International Airport on Thursday.
American Airlines passengers were told there was a problem before the plane landed at DIA, and a fire started. Once the plane was at the gate, around 5:15 pm, smoke and fire could be seen coming from under the aircraft.
Cell phone video was captured of hectic moments as passengers evacuated the jet, which had left Colorado Springs and was headed to Dallas-Fort Worth.
12 taken to hospital after fire seen under American Airlines plane at DIA
Pamela Watson was on the plane with her sister and her 75-year-old mother.
'They came on the speaker and said they had vibrations, so we were going to have to slow the plane down and divert it back to Denver,' Watson said.
Watson was sitting behind the right wing but did not see any fire while in the air. She had no idea there was a possible serious, life-threatening problem until the plane had come to a complete stop.
'It was just a mess. No one realized the plane was on fire from the wing forward, so they were just getting their luggage like a normal exiting of a plane. When my window started melting, I started screaming the plane is on fire! Get off the plane!' Watson said.
Watson temporarily lost contact with her sister and 75-year-old mother as she evacuated on to the wing and to safety amid the fire and smoke.
FOX31 Aviation Expert, Steve Cowell, said he has seen nothing to indicate the fire started in the engine. Cowell said it's possible the fire could have been caused by some kind of leak.
The fire seemed to have caught many people by surprise in the terminal, too.
Erik Moon took pictures and video.
'I think the thing that was most surprising to me was little awareness there in the B concourse that anything was happening over there,' Moon said.
The airline said the pilot landed safely and taxied to the gate when the plane experienced an engine-related issue.
Joshua Sunberg, who lives near Fort Collins, was at the airport and couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'All of a sudden, I look over, and I watch a plane come in and didn't think much of it. It comes in, and once it gets in the bay, it just boom starts on fire,' Sunberg said.
4 cited during Denver street racing enforcement: Police
12 people were taken to hospitals.
The NTSB said it had no new updates on Friday. A preliminary report is expected in 30 days
On Friday afternoon, Pamela Watson was still trying to fly out of Denver back to Oklahoma.
'This is the most traumatic experience I've ever been through,' Watson said.
She's thankful she, her sister and her mother are okay.
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