This Trauma Nurse Was on the Denver Flight That Caught Fire—Here Are the 5 Travel Habits She Swears By Now

Travel + Leisure

29-07-2025

A dramatic scene unfolded at Denver International Airport on July 26, when an American Airlines jet came to a sudden stop on the runway during takeoff and was forced to evacuate after a mechanical issue sparked a small fire. The Boeing 737 MAX 8—Flight 3023 en route to Miami—was carrying 173 passengers and six crew members. The Denver Fire Department has since said a suspected problem with the aircraft's landing gear led to the emergency.
According to Danielle Fette, a Fort Lauderdale resident and former trauma unit nurse on the flight, sheer panic and chaos erupted aboard. 'I could feel the plane pull to left and I could smell the burning brakes,' Fette told Travel + Leisure . 'I could hear the people in the back of the plane, screaming, 'The plane is on fire. We're going to die, get us off the plane.'"
While all passengers were safely evacuated using inflatable slides—one person was reportedly transported to the hospital with minor injuries—Fette learned some valuable lessons as both a passenger and a health care provider. And she's ready to put her new lessons into practice. 'I'm not trying to instill fear. The pilots handled everything incredibly well,' Fette said. 'I'm simply sharing what I learned in hopes that it might help others be prepared.'
While waiting for the emergency doors to open and the slides to come down, Fette witnessed frightened passengers trying to grab their luggage from overhead bins and even pushing children out of the way. 'You never know how you're going to react in a harrowing situation like this,' she told T+L. 'The trauma nurse in me kicked in, and I wanted to get off as fast as I could and make room for everyone else to get off.'
Fette was one of the first off the plane, and from the tarmac she watched some passengers struggle to escape in flip-flops and other open shoes, with a few of them even losing their shoes when going down the emergency slide. She credits wearing tennis shoes and socks with helping her get off the plane quickly.
She noted that closed-toe shoes can help prevent burns in certain situations, as the runway was very hot. 'I always wear running shoes and socks. In the past, it was for comfort, and since I'm chronically late, I often have to run through the airport. I never thought it could help me in an emergency,' Fette said. 'My family and I will never wear Crocs or flip-flops again.' A passenger wearing sneakers in the airport.
As a frequent flyer, Fette regularly carries her ID, phone, battery pack, and medications in a cross-body bag, which she stores in the front seat pocket so she can easily grab it and go. That's exactly what she did when running off the plane, instead of slowing down the emergency process by trying to grab her carry-on from the overhead bin. 'I saw so many people trying to grab their bags, and even pushing past children in the panic,' she said.
Fette also pointed out that she wishes she used the restroom and had a snack before boarding the flight—something she now plans to do every time. 'We were on the tarmac for quite some time, waiting for the buses, and kept in quarantine while waiting for our belongings,' she explained. (Her bonus tip from this experience is to always label your carry-on with your contact information, so airline officials can return your belongings to you.)
Lastly, she urges passengers to seriously reconsider the responsibility of sitting in an exit row seat. 'I'll often grab an exit row so I can have extra leg room,' she said. 'But after this experience, I'm reevaluating whether I could really push open those doors.'