Panicked passengers evacuate a plane emitting smoke during an aborted takeoff in Denver, exiting the aircraft using emergency slides.
On July 26, 2025, American Airlines Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, bound for Miami, experienced an unexpected incident during takeoff at Denver International Airport (DEN). At approximately 2:45 p.m. local time, the aircraft aborted takeoff due to a landing gear malfunction that caused a fire.
The flight, carrying 173 passengers and 6 crew members, was forced to evacuate. Footage from the scene shows people using the emergency slides to escape the smoke and chaos. Fortunately, while a few people sustained minor injuries, everyone was reportedly safe. One individual was transported to the hospital for further medical evaluation.
Mark Tsurkis, a passenger on the plane, reported hearing a loud noise before takeoff, which he believed was a wheel explosion. He also noticed another wheel pass the plane on the left side as it was slowing down.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the technical difficulties and reported a possible landing gear incident during the departure of American Airlines Flight 3023. The smoke and flames from the aircraft were quickly extinguished by the Denver fire department, who responded while the plane was still on the runway.
The incident caused a temporary ground stop at Denver airport, leading to over 300 flight delays. American Airlines later confirmed that the aircraft was taken out of service to be inspected by their maintenance team.
Investigations by regulators, including the FAA, are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the gear failure and fire. This is the most current verified information based on multiple sources reporting immediately after the incident.
Passengers were transported back to the terminal by bus following the evacuation. Everyone on board was safely evacuated, and all passengers are now accounted for.
| Aspect | Details | |---------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | Aircraft | Boeing 737 MAX 8 | | Flight | American Airlines Flight 3023 | | Date/Time | July 26, 2025, ~2:45 PM local time | | Location | Denver International Airport | | Issue | Landing gear tire malfunction causing fire| | Outcome | Takeoff aborted, emergency evacuation | | Injuries | 6 minor injuries, 1 hospitalized | | Passengers & Crew | 173 passengers, 6 crew all evacuated safely | | Operational Impact | Ground stop ~1 hour, 300+ delays | | Current status | FAA and other regulators investigating |
In spite of the incident involving American Airlines Flight 3023, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, which aborted takeoff at Denver International Airport due to a landing gear malfunction causing a fire, everyone on board, consisting of 173 passengers and 6 crew members, were evacuated safely. This unforeseen event, categorized as 'general-news' and part of the broader topic of 'accidents', also impacted the sports schedule, leading to delays for numerous athletes and teams whose flights were affected by the 1-hour ground stop at Denver airport. The significant operational disruption resulted in over 300 flight delays.
