PASSENGERS EVACUATE ON TO WING OF BURNING AMERICAN AIRLINES JET
Dallas, TX — Chaos erupted at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport this morning when American Airlines Flight 397 burst into flames moments after touching down, forcing terrified passengers to evacuate onto the wing of the burning aircraft.
The flight, a Boeing 737-800, had departed Los Angeles at 6:02 a.m. local time with 162 passengers and six crew members aboard. What was supposed to be a routine three-hour flight turned into a nightmare just minutes before arrival, when, according to the airline, the plane’s right engine caught fire due to an unspecified “mechanical anomaly.”
“We were already descending when there was this weird vibration. It wasn’t violent, but you could tell something was wrong,” said Carla Monroe, 48, seated in row 23. “Then this awful smell came through the vents, like burning rubber and oil. People started coughing.”
According to preliminary reports, the right engine began overheating roughly 15 minutes before landing. The pilots, both with over a decade of experience, declared an emergency and were cleared for immediate landing on runway 17C. As the aircraft touched down, flames and thick black smoke erupted from the engine, rapidly spreading toward the undercarriage.
Cellphone footage captured by a passenger seated near the wing shows flames licking the fuselage as the jet screeches to a halt. Screams can be heard as oxygen masks dangle uselessly and flight attendants shout evacuation orders.
“I’ve flown a hundred times, but this… this was different,” said 30-year-old Anthony Vu, who was returning from a tech conference in California. “You could see fire outside the window. Then the emergency doors flew open, but the smoke was everywhere. People panicked.”
With the fuselage rapidly filling with smoke and the heat of the fire warping interior panels, the flight crew made a split-second decision to deploy the over-wing exits—traditionally used in water landings—and guide passengers onto the wing to escape the smoke.
“It was the only way out,” said lead flight attendant Samantha Hayes. “The fire was near the front, and we couldn’t get the rear slides to deploy due to the heat. So we yelled, ‘Go out onto the wing! Stay low, don’t panic!’”
Eyewitnesses on the ground watched in disbelief as dozens of passengers scrambled out of the exits, crawling along the wing in single file while airport fire trucks raced to the scene.
“I saw a woman in heels carrying a baby, trying to balance on the wing. And behind her, an elderly man fell and slid off the edge,” said airport worker Donny Ramos, who was manning a shuttle nearby. “It looked like a scene from a movie. Total chaos.”
Emergency responders reached the plane within four minutes of touchdown. Flames were extinguished within ten minutes, but not before severe damage occurred to the right engine and underbelly of the aircraft. Several passengers sustained minor injuries during the evacuation, including sprains, burns, and smoke inhalation. One passenger—a 74-year-old man—was hospitalized in critical condition after falling off the wing and striking his head.
In total, 18 people were treated at area hospitals, but remarkably, there were no fatalities.
American Airlines released a brief statement at noon:
> “We are grateful for the swift response of our crew and emergency personnel. Our thoughts are with those affected. Safety is our highest priority, and we are working closely with federal investigators to determine the cause of this incident.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have both launched investigations. Preliminary assessments suggest that a fuel line rupture may have triggered the fire, but officials have not confirmed this.
“Something clearly failed mid-flight,” said aviation expert Captain Daniel Raines, who reviewed footage of the fire. “The pilot’s decision to use the wing as an evacuation route was unusual—but in this case, likely saved lives. A cabin fire can kill in minutes.”
Passengers have praised the crew for their calm under pressure.
“I was crying. Everyone was screaming,” said Maria Jenkins, 25, who was seated near the rear of the aircraft. “But the flight attendants were like heroes. They were yelling at people to move, to slide, to jump. I remember one of them, a guy with a buzz cut, pulled a woman out of the aisle when she froze. Probably saved her.”
Heroic stories have already begun to circulate. One man, identified as 39-year-old Marcus Taylor, reportedly helped several children out onto the wing and stayed behind until everyone in his row had evacuated. “He was the last one off that plane before the flames reached the cabin,” said a fellow passenger.
Dallas-Fort Worth Airport briefly shut down two runways to accommodate emergency response and diverted seven inbound flights during the incident. Normal operations resumed by early afternoon.
Photos and videos of the dramatic evacuation have flooded social media, showing passengers balancing along the wing, smoke billowing behind them, as flashing lights surround the jet.
“It was like something out of a nightmare,” said Monroe, still shaking as she waited for her luggage—now charred—outside Terminal A. “But we made it. That’s what matters.”
This marks the third aviation emergency involving a U.S.-based carrier this year, and experts are calling for a renewed focus on aging aircraft and maintenance protocols.
As the investigation continues, survivors are left to process the trauma. American Airlines has offered counseling services and hotel accommodations for affected passengers, as well as rebooking options.
“I still can’t believe we walked out of that alive,” said Vu. “Next time I fly, I’m checking the exits first thing. You never think it’ll happen to you—until it does.”