Passengers stand on wing of burning American Airlines jet at Denver airport amid evacuation

WASHINGTON – An American Airlines jet’s engine caught fire after it diverted to land in Denver on March 13, forcing the evacuation of passengers using the plane’s slides, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.

The airline said all 172 passengers and six crew members on board had been able to exit the plane, although six passengers were taken to a local hospital afterwards for further evaluation.

American Airlines Flight 1006 from Colorado Springs on a Boeing 737-800 landed in Denver at around 5.15pm local time, diverting from its planned destination of Dallas after the crew reported engine vibrations, the FAA said.

Several dramatic videos of passengers standing on the wing of the plane before evacuating as smoke poured out the engine were posted on social media.

American Airlines said the plane had landed safely and taxied to the gate when it experienced an “engine-related issue”.

The plane, which is 13 years old, according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, was equipped with two CFM56 engines manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE and Safran.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident. A Denver International Airport spokesperson said the fire had been extinguished and flight operations had continued as normal.

Boeing declined to comment, referring queries to American Airlines and investigators.

The engine fire is the latest in a series of high-profile aviation incidents that have raised questions about US aviation safety, including the

Jan 29 midair collision

of an American Airlines regional jet and an army helicopter that killed 67 people.

In February, a

Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down

upon landing at Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport, amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, although all passengers and crew members survived the incident.

American Airlines chief executive Robert Isom and Delta CEO Ed Bastian on March 11 cited recent air crashes and weather events as contributing factors to dampening US travel demand, alongside mounting economic uncertainty. REUTERS