Passengers exit plane via emergency slide after aborted takeoff

(DENVER, Colo.) — Passengers on an American Airlines flight evacuated onto the runway via emergency slides after the plane aborted its takeoff on the runway in Denver on Saturday. One person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, officials said.

American Airlines flight 3023, which was headed to Miami, reported a “possible landing gear incident during departure,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident.

Data from flight tracking website FlightRadar24 shows the plane reached a top speed of 127 knots — nearly 150 miles — on the runway before slowing down.

In air traffic control audio obtained from LiveATC.net, the pilot told the controller they were “aborting on the runway.” The controller told the pilot, “You got a lot of smoke.” A moment later, the controller said, “There was some flames, it looks like the smoke’s kind of dying down a bit.”

The FAA said passengers evacuated the plane on the runway and were taken back to the terminal by bus. Video showed passengers evacuating the aircraft on slides.

The flight was operated on a Boeing 737 Max 8. There were 173 passengers and six crew members on board, according to the airline.

Mark Tsurkis, 50, a passenger aboard the flight, told ABC News he heard “a loud boom,” as the plane was about to take off.

“I said, ‘That’s not good,'” Tsurkis said, at which point the plane began to slow down, he said, and passengers could see one of the wheels pass by.

“When the plane stopped about 30 seconds to a minute later, somebody said, ‘Smoke, fire.’ And then a lot of people, of course, started panicking,” Tsurkis said.

According to the Denver International Airport, the plane was met by first responders. The Denver Fire Department said it extinguished a fire on the plane. The airport said six people were evaluated and one was taken to the hospital. The airline said the person transported had minor injuries.

“It’s definitely not a pleasant experience, but we got lucky,” Tsurkis said. “It happened before the plane took off, so [the pilot] was able to slow down before actually going full speed or before flying.”

American Airlines said the passengers will go to Miami on a replacement plane later Saturday, while the original plane will be taken out of service and inspected.

The airline said in a statement, “We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for their experience.”