A United Airlines plane aborted its takeoff just seconds before departing a Phoenix airport on Friday morning.
“Phoenix Fire responded, per standard procedure. Fire reported no injuries,” a spokesperson for Phoenix’s Sky Harbor told Fox News. “There is no impact to airport operations. Other flights are departing and arriving as usual.”
John Pentecost, a passenger who said he was on the flight, wrote on Twitter that “we were at full power accelerating down the runway, and the pilot slammed on the brakes just before takeoff.” He added that fire trucks then surrounded the flight.
“Warning light forced us to abort. We were nearly airborne & pilot said we were doing 130mph when he stood on the brakes. I thought for sure we’d skid off the runway. Plane sitting lopsided now... must have blown a tire,” he continued.
“We are saddened to learn that the customer passed away,” said Jonathan Guerin, a United spokesman, to the paper. “We extend the sincerest condolences to the family.”