The death of a man struck by a Frontier Airlines plane at Denver International Airport has been ruled a suicide by the medical examiner. Michael Mott, 41, jumped an 8ft fence with barbed wire and reached the runway on Friday evening, where he was hit by the departing aircraft.
According to airport chief executive Phillip Washington, about two minutes elapsed between Mott's breach of the fence and the collision. Mott was not an airport employee and had previous contact with law enforcement, though details of that contact remain unclear.
The medical examiner determined the manner of death as suicide based on investigation and scene findings. Mott suffered multiple blunt and sharp force injuries. The incident has raised questions about airport security, although Washington noted the fence was found intact after the event.
Ground detection sensors triggered an alarm near the breach point, but an investigator initially mistook Mott for a deer on camera. Washington stated the airport is not considering electrifying the fence or making it taller, as a motivated individual could still find a way through.
Frontier flight 4345, bound for Los Angeles, was carrying 224 passengers and seven crew members. Mott was pulled into the engine, causing a fire and evacuation. Twelve people reported minor injuries, with five taken to hospital; four have since been released.
Police are investigating Mott's background and whether mental health issues played a role. How Mott reached the fence remains unknown, as no vehicle or bicycle was found near the eastern perimeter.
