The panicked “mayday” message received by air traffic control has been released after an American Airlines plane burst into flames on the tarmac at Denver International Airport. Passengers were forced to evacuate on slides when the plane’s engine caught fire after landing in Denver, where it had diverted Thursday after the pilots reported trouble. Audio captured on LiveATC.net reveals that air traffic control spoke to the cockpit in the Boeing 737-800, which took off from Colorado Springs Airport and was bound for Dallas Fort Worth, asking: “Just to verify: not an emergency still, correct?” A calm female voice responds: “Nah, we just have a high engine vibration so we are cruising slower than normal.” Minutes later, the tone changes dramatically. “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday! Mayday! Engine fire!” a male voice says, after Flight 1006 had landed. Ground control responds that fire personnel are en route. A total of 172 passengers and six crew members were aboard the flight. A statement from Denver International Airport confirmed 12 people were transported to local hospitals with minor injuries. The reason for the fire, however, has not been disclosed.
