Thick smoke and flames forced passengers to flee an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 in Denver—marking yet another dangerous malfunction for Boeing, already under fire after the deadly Air India 171 crash and Alaska Airlines door blowout.
BY PC Bureau
July 27, 2025 – In the latest setback for Boeing’s embattled reputation, an American Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 was evacuated on Saturday at Denver International Airport after a mechanical failure forced the crew to abort takeoff. The incident adds to a growing list of Boeing-linked mishaps, including January’s terrifying Alaska Airlines mid-air door plug blowout and the tragic crash of Air India Express Flight 171 earlier this year.
Saturday’s incident involved American Airlines Flight 3023, bound for Miami with 173 passengers and six crew. A mechanical issue—believed to be a landing gear failure—sparked a tire fire, prompting a full-scale runway evacuation using emergency slides. Video captured thick smoke billowing from the aircraft’s left rear side as passengers scrambled to safety.
Live air traffic control exchanges captured the urgency of the moment. A controller was heard saying, “Flight 3023, you got a lot of smoke… there was some flames,” before adding, “You are actually on fire.”
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The Denver Fire Department responded swiftly and extinguished the fire. Emergency teams assessed six individuals for injuries; one was taken to hospital with minor wounds.
American Airlines confirmed the jet suffered a mechanical failure during the takeoff roll and was removed from service for inspection. Passengers continued their journey later that day on a replacement aircraft.
Every day plane accidents are happening, what is going on?🤔
Boeing 737 MAX 8
American Airlines plane catches fire on the runway 🔥
This scene is very scary to watchअमेरिकन एयरलाइंस#AmericanAirlines #Airoplancrash pic.twitter.com/FeFE4F1BfC
— S.S. Chauhan RFS. (@SUBHAMSINGH112) July 27, 2025
This marks yet another alarming entry in a growing log of Boeing-related emergencies:
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January 2024: A Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines lost a cabin panel mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing in Oregon. The door plug incident reignited scrutiny over Boeing’s production and inspection standards.
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May 2025: Air India Express Flight 171, a Boeing 737-800, crashed during approach to Kozhikode, killing over 30 people. Preliminary reports cited possible mechanical failure compounded by wet runway conditions, though a full investigation is ongoing.
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March 2025: A Boeing 777 operated by Lufthansa suffered severe turbulence, injuring multiple passengers and crew. Investigations pointed to structural integrity concerns.
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April 2025: A United Airlines Boeing 757 suffered an engine flameout shortly after takeoff from Newark. The plane returned safely, but the FAA initiated a formal review.
Aviation analysts say the frequency of Boeing-linked emergencies is deeply concerning. “We’re not talking about isolated cases anymore,” said one senior safety expert. “There’s a pattern emerging that regulators cannot afford to ignore.”
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The FAA has launched a formal investigation into Saturday’s incident, reiterating its commitment to ensuring safety across all carriers and manufacturers. Meanwhile, American Airlines thanked its crew for their swift action and apologized to passengers.
With public trust in Boeing already shaken, this latest scare may further erode confidence—especially in the controversial 737 MAX line, which returned to service in 2021 after a nearly two-year global grounding following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
