Man who ran in front of Frontier plane died by suicide: Medical examiner
The article centers official sources—medical examiner, airport CEO, Transportation Secretary, and federal agencies—presenting their determinations and explanations with minimal editorial framing. Language is factual and restrained ('died by suicide,' 'trespassed,' 'minor injuries'), avoiding charged descriptors. The article includes the medical examiner's measured caveat about unknowable intent, balancing the suicide determination with scientific uncertainty, which reflects both-sides documentation without advocacy.
Primary voices: state or recognized government, corporate or institutional spokesperson, elected official, international body
- This article does not address Mott's personal history, mental health background, or any prior indicators of suicidal ideation.
- This article does not discuss the broader context of airport security breaches or runway trespassing incidents nationally.
- This article does not include perspectives from mental health experts on suicide prevention or warning signs.
Framing may shift if the NTSB decides to launch a formal investigation, potentially adding technical or systemic safety findings to the narrative.
Government-sourcedNeutral languageData-driven
The man who ran in front of a Frontier Airlines plane at Denver International Airport last Friday died by suicide, the local medical examiner confirmed on Tuesday.
Michael Mott, 41, trespassed onto airport property by jumping over the perimeter fence just before 11:20 p.m. as the Los Angeles-bound flight was lifting for takeoff. He got caught in the engine, leading to a brief fire and causing pilots to evacuate the jet.
Chief Medical Examiner Sterling McLaren determined Mott’s death was caused by multiple blunt and sharp force injuries, tentatively concluding he wanted to commit suicide based on the evidence.
“As a scientific investigation, we can’t really know, really, what someone’s intent was,” McLaren said at a press conference. “The best way to determine manner is to evaluate the totality of the investigation — scene findings, circumstances, and history. Based on all of those findings together, we determined the manner of death to be suicide.”
Security footage showed the man crossing the runway as the plane headed toward him. He disappeared from sight as the engine started emitting smoke. The fire was promptly extinguished.
There were no other fatalities in the incident. At least 12 passengers aboard the 231-person flight suffered minor injuries.
Airport security did not initially detect Mott when he jumped the perimeter fence. Officials said an alarm was triggered at 11:10 p.m., after which an airport operator identified a herd of deer outside the fence. Mott was said to be out of view in the moments preceding the fatal crash.
In the past, trespassers on Denver International Airport’s runways have been apprehended relatively quickly.
Speaking at the press conference, Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington said safety is its top priority while addressing the public’s concerns.
“Since this incident, we have been asked, ‘Why don’t you electrify the fence, or ‘Why isn’t the fence tall?’ or ‘Why don’t you use razor wire instead of barbed wire?’” Washington told reporters. “Safety and security, again, is always our top priority. We don’t want our fence to be deadly, and even if the fence was taller, we believe a motivated individual could find a way to penetrate; that is why we have many layers of security.”
In a Saturday statement, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that people should never illegally trespass at an airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Security Administration, Denver Police Department, Frontier Airlines, and Denver International Airport are participating in the crash investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board also responded to the scene and started gathering details about the emergency evacuation. NTSB says it has not yet decided on launching an investigation into the incident.
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