Denver, CO
Aircraft catches fire after landing in Denver, sending passengers onto wing as smoke engulfs plane
DENVER — A fire on an American Airlines plane after it diverted mid-flight and landed at Denver International Airport sent passengers fleeing onto a wing in a fraught evacuation amid billowing clouds of smoke. Airport officials said 12 people were taken to hospitals with minor injuries.
The country has seen a recent spate of aviation disasters and close calls stoking fears about air travel, though flying remains a very safe mode of transport. Recent on-the-ground incidents have included a plane that crashed and flipped over upon landing in Toronto and a Japan Airlines plane that clipped a parked Delta plane while it was taxiing at the Seattle airport.
In this latest incident, Flight 1006 was headed from the Colorado Springs Airport to Dallas Fort Worth on Thursday, but diverted to Denver and landed safely around 5:15 p.m. after the crew reported engine vibrations, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement. While taxiing to the gate, an engine on the Boeing 737-800 caught fire, the FAA added.
Photos and videos posted by news outlets showed passengers exiting the plane onto its left wing as an engine on the right wing burned and black smoke surrounded the aircraft. They lined up and got to the ground using slides and ladders brought over by groundcrews, according to the FAA, videos and passenger interviews.
American said in a statement that the flight experienced an engine-related issue after taxiing to the gate. There was no immediate clarification on exactly when the plane caught fire.
All 172 passengers and six crew members were safely evacuated from the plane, authorities and airport officials said. American Airlines referred questions about the 12 people taken to hospitals to local officials. Ten people were taken to the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora but spokesperson Kelli Christensen said she did not have an update on how many were there Friday.
A replacement plane and crew took passengers to Dallas-Fort Worth, the airline said. The flight landed Friday around 5 a.m. local time, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.
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Denver, CO
‘Thursday Night Football’ vs. Seahawks, Christmas Day vs. Bills highlight Broncos’ standalone matchups in 2026
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are set to take center stage five times in 2026.
Denver is scheduled to play in five standalone games during its 2026 season, three of which will be contested at Empower Field at Mile High.
The Broncos will open their season with a “Monday Night Football” showdown against the AFC West rival Kansas City Chiefs. Last season, Denver swept the Chiefs for the first time since 2014.
This year’s Week 1 matchup will mark the first time since 2022 that Denver will begin its season in prime time. During Head Coach Sean Payton’s tenure, the Broncos have posted a 3-0 record on “Monday Night Football,” including last year’s victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Broncos will then host their first prime-time game of the year, a “Sunday Night Football” matchup with the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3. The Rams posted a 12-5 record in 2025, advancing to the NFC Championship Game.
The Sept. 27 game will mark the Broncos first home “Sunday Night Football” matchup since 2023. Denver is 2-0 in “Sunday Night Football” games under Payton, including a 2025 road victory over the Commanders.
Just three weeks later, Denver will host the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on “Thursday Night Football.” The Seahawks will be led by quarterback Sam Darnold and the reigning Offensive Player of the Year, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Denver is 1-0 on “Thursday Night Football” at home under Payton and 2-2 overall.
The Broncos will then play their second and final standalone road game, traveling to Pittsburgh for a Black Friday matchup with the Steelers. The Steelers won the AFC North in 2025 and advanced to the postseason for the third straight year. This will be Denver’s first-ever game played on Black Friday.
The Broncos’ final scheduled standalone game is set for Christmas Day. Denver will host the Buffalo Bills, setting up a rematch of last year’s Divisional Round game. The Broncos and Bills have faced each other out of the playoffs in the last two seasons, with the teams splitting the pair of games. The last time the teams faced off in the regular season was in 2023, when the Broncos earned a Monday night road victory.
This will mark the second consecutive year that Denver will play on Christmas. The Broncos are 3-2 all time on Christmas Day, including last year’s victory over the Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The NFL’s flexible scheduling rules could also lead to the Broncos playing additional prime-time games in 2026. The dates of Denver’s Week 17 and 18 games are also yet to be determined.
See below for a complete list of Denver’s standalone games:
Week 1: Broncos at Chiefs, “Monday Night Football,” Sept. 14, 6:15 p.m. MT, ABC/ESPN
Week 3: Broncos vs. Rams, “Sunday Night Football,” Sept. 27, 6:20 p.m. MT, NBC
Week 6: Broncos vs. Seahawks, “Thursday Night Football,” Oct. 15, 6:15 p.m. MT, Prime Video
Week 12: Broncos at Steelers, Black Friday, Nov. 27, 1 p.m. MT, Prime Video
Week 16: Broncos vs. Bills, Christmas Day, Dec. 25, 2:30 p.m. MT, Netflix
DENVER (KDVR) – Denver and the Plains will see extra clouds Thursday with isolated storm out east and warm highs along the Front Range.
Weather today: Partly cloudy and warm
Clouds kept temperatures mild this morning and pockets of sunshine through the afternoon help us warm to the middle 80s.
We will be very close to tying a daily record high, but a light northerly breeze should stop us from hitting 87. The Eastern Plains can also see some isolated storms in the afternoon. There are also some Red Flag Warnings in the state, winds will be at 10-20 mph with gusts to 40 mph, avoid any burning or open flames in these areas.
Weather tonight: Lingering clouds
Partly cloudy skies through the day will stick with us tonight. Overnight lows will dip into the low 50s with a lighter wind.
Looking ahead: Cooler weekend with shower chances
Friday rounds out the workweek with partly to mainly sunny skies and comfy highs in the lower 80s. Saturday looks comfy as well with partly cloudy skies, highs in the upper 70s and afternoon storm chances. Sundayis still mild as highs hit the middle 70s, but clouds increase through the day with showers and storms in the evening hours. That rain can linger overnight and into Monday.
Monday has showers through the day and maybe a few flakes in the high country. Highs on Monday will be in the lower 60s with a breeze and cloudy skies. Shower chances linger into Tuesday with below average highs in the lower 60s with cloudy skies. Wednesday has smaller storm chances and a bit more sunshine as seasonal highs make it to the lower 70s.
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