A 41-year-old man from the United States died after deliberately jumping a security fence and running onto an active runway at Denver International Airport, where he was struck and killed by a departing Frontier Airlines plane.

Authorities in Colorado have confirmed the incident on May 8 as a suicide. The victim has been identified as Michael Mott, 41.

According to Denver Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Sterling McLaren, Mott climbed over a 2.4-meter-high security fence topped with barbed wire around 11 PM, ran across the runway, and was hit by the aircraft. He was pulled into the engine and suffered multiple traumatic injuries.

During a press conference on May 12, Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas stated that investigators are working to contact Mott’s family and friends to better understand what led to this tragic decision.

The Frontier Airlines flight (Flight 4345), bound for Los Angeles, was accelerating for takeoff when the incident occurred. The pilot reported striking a person on the runway and immediately noticed smoke in the cabin from engine damage. The crew aborted takeoff and initiated an emergency evacuation.

All 224 passengers and 7 crew members were safely evacuated using emergency slides. Twelve people sustained minor injuries, with five hospitalized. By May 12, four had been discharged.

Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington described the event as a “horrific tragedy.” The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is now investigating the incident.

In audio recordings from air traffic control, the pilot can be heard saying: “Denver Tower, this is Frontier 4345. We are stopped on the runway. We just hit someone walking across the runway and we have an engine fire. There are 231 souls on board.”

This tragic incident has raised concerns about airport perimeter security at one of America’s busiest airports and left a deep emotional impact on passengers, crew, and first responders.