A preliminary NTSB report points to maintenance errors as the likely cause of a fire aboard an American Airlines flight that made an emergency landing in Denver this March. Investigators found loose and incorrectly installed engine parts, including one that leaked fuel, which likely led to the fire. Video also showed a fluid trail as the plane taxied.
The incident caused chaos onboard, with passengers seeing flames and evacuating—some onto the wing—after a slide malfunction jammed a cabin door. Twelve people were hospitalised with minor injuries. The plane had departed from Colorado Springs and was en route to Dallas-Fort Worth.
The NTSB is also investigating whether the slide issue was a result of manufacturing or maintenance defects. American Airlines says it is cooperating fully.
This incident is among several aviation safety events in 2025, including a deadly midair collision near D.C. in January and a Delta jet crash in Toronto in February. Despite the headlines, accident rates remain low, at just 0.02% of domestic flights in 2024.