Denver: A major emergency unfolded at Denver International Airport on Saturday (local time) as passengers aboard an American Airlines flight were forced to evacuate moments before takeoff due to a mechanical issue with the plane's landing gear, Fox News reported. The incident occurred on American Airlines Flight 3023, which was scheduled to fly from Denver to Miami. The problem was reported while the aircraft was still on the runway. In dramatic video footage shared online, passengers can be seen rushing out of the aircraft via emergency slides and running to safety, while smoke and fire can be seen billowing from underneath the plane. The Denver Fire Department responded swiftly to the scene and successfully extinguished the fire.This is becoming routine for airline travel. This is American Airlines in Denver. Rear wheels blew. pic.twitter.com/NJ7akXtNB9— Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) July 26, 2025 “All 173 passengers and six crew members on board the Boeing 737 Max 8 were safely removed from the aircraft,” Fox News reported.Five individuals were evaluated for injuries at the scene, though none required hospitalization. However, one person was later taken to a medical facility for treatment of a minor injury, according to the report.In a statement to Fox Business, American Airlines said:"American Airlines Flight 3023 experienced a mechanical issue on take-off roll at Denver International Airport (DEN). All customers and crew members deplaned safely, and the aircraft was taken out of service for inspection by our maintenance team. We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologise to our customers for their experience."The airline confirmed that the issue stemmed from a maintenance problem with a tire. A replacement flight was arranged to transport the affected passengers to Miami later the same day.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also released a statement confirming the incident:"American Airlines Flight 3023 reported a possible landing gear incident during departure from Denver International Airport around 2:45 p.m. local time Saturday, July 26. Passengers evacuated on the runway and are being transported to the terminal by bus."As a result of the emergency, Denver Airport issued a temporary ground stop for incoming flights between 2 pm and 3 pm, causing delays for approximately 90 flights, according to FlightAware data cited by Fox News.The incident came just a day after another aviation scare, when a Southwest Airlines flight from California to Las Vegas was forced to nosedive to avoid a midair collision, causing some passengers to hit the aircraft ceiling, Fox News reported.The FAA has initiated a formal investigation into the Denver incident.