Washington: A major plane crash was narrowly averted at Denver International Airport after the landing gear of American Airlines Flight 3023 developed a technical fault moments before takeoff.
The Boeing 737 Max 8, which was scheduled to fly to Miami, caught fire when its wheels malfunctioned on the runway.
There were 173 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the incident. All were evacuated swiftly using emergency slides. Dramatic videos circulating on social media show passengers fleeing the aircraft in panic amid thick smoke and flames.
The Denver Fire Department responded quickly and managed to bring the fire under control. According to Fox News, five people were medically examined, and one was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
In a statement, American Airlines confirmed that Flight 3023 experienced a technical issue during takeoff.
“All passengers were safely deplaned and the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection,” the airline said, adding that the issue was related to tyre maintenance.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the malfunction.
