Michael Mott Aviation Accident Denver Colorado Death Obituary: Authorities have identified the man who was fatally struck by a Frontier Airlines plane at Denver International Airport as 41-year-old Michael Mott. Officials say his death has been ruled a suicide after investigators determined he intentionally walked into the path of the aircraft as it prepared for takeoff Friday night.
According to authorities, Mott breached airport security by climbing over an eight-foot perimeter fence topped with barbed wire before entering the restricted airfield area. Surveillance footage reportedly showed him calmly walking across the runway as a Frontier Airlines plane accelerated for departure around 11:19 p.m.
The aircraft struck Mott moments later, resulting in fatal injuries. Officials confirmed that part of his body was pulled into one of the plane’s engines during the collision. The Denver City and County Medical Examiner’s Office later ruled the death a suicide, stating Mott died from “multiple blunt and sharp force injuries.”
During a Tuesday news conference, Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington explained that an alarm had been triggered near the perimeter fence approximately nine minutes before the incident. Airport personnel initially believed the motion was caused by a herd of deer outside the fence and did not immediately detect the trespasser.
Washington said camera footage intermittently lost sight of Mott due to nearby ditches and terrain around the runway area. Authorities stated it took Mott approximately 15 seconds to climb the fence, and he was struck by the aircraft roughly two minutes later.
The incident remains under investigation as airport officials review security procedures and response protocols.