Engine Fire Forces American Airlines 737-800 to Divert to Denver

On March 13, an American Airlines Boeing 737-800, registration N885NN, operating flight AA-1006 from Colorado Springs, CO, to Dallas/Fort Worth, TX, with 172 passengers and six crew members on board, experienced engine issues shortly after departure. While climbing out of Colorado Springs, the crew halted the ascent at approximately 16,000 feet after detecting vibrations in the right-hand CFM56 engine. The crew decided to divert to Denver International Airport, where the aircraft safely landed on runway 16R about one hour after takeoff.

After landing and while taxiing to the gate, the right-hand engine caught fire, prompting an emergency evacuation via slides. Emergency services quickly extinguished the fire, and twelve passengers were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries.

The FAA released a statement: "American Airlines Flight 1006 diverted to and landed safely at Denver International Airport around 5:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, March 13, after the crew reported engine vibrations. After landing and while taxiing to the gate, an engine caught fire, and passengers evacuated the aircraft using slides. The Boeing 737-800 departed Colorado Springs Airport, bound for Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The FAA will investigate."

"I Thought We Were Going to Explode": Passenger Describes Terrifying Engine Fire on American Airlines Flight

Marisol Cohen had just finished a work conference in Colorado Springs and boarded American Airlines Flight 1006, bound for Dallas-Fort Worth. However, shortly after takeoff, the flight crew made an unsettling announcement.

"Within five minutes of flying, they came over the loudspeaker and said, ‘We have bad news. We have to divert the plane to Denver because there's a rattle in one of the engines,’" Cohen told FOX 13 News Tampa.

Once the plane safely landed in Denver, Cohen heard someone scream, "Fire!" The Tampa resident described feeling the heat from the flames, which were clearly visible near the right wing.

"They were right here, billowing. They were orange, and the entire plane filled with black smoke instantly," Cohen recalled. "It was a struggle to breathe."

Cohen explained that passengers at the front and back of the plane were able to evacuate quickly. However, for reasons she didn’t understand, there was a delay in opening the emergency exit row door for those in the middle of the plane.

"I was yelling at the top of my lungs, 'Open the door! Open the door! We're going to explode! Open that door!' And finally, someone did," Cohen recounted.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced, "The NTSB is investigating a March 13 incident involving an American Airlines-operated Boeing 737-800 that made an emergency landing in Denver, Colorado, due to engine concerns."

A replacement Boeing 737-8 MAX, registration N304RB, eventually transported passengers to Dallas with a delay of approximately 7.5 hours.