- A United Airlines Boeing 737 collided with a de-icing truck at Denver International Airport on Friday morning.
- One contractor employee was hospitalized for injuries after the truck reportedly flipped over during the incident.
- The FAA is investigating the collision, which occurred during heavy snow and significant regional flight disruptions.
(DENVER, COLORADO) — United Airlines Flight 605 collided with a de-icing truck at Denver International Airport on Friday, March 6, 2026, injuring a de-icing contractor employee as heavy snow fell across the region.
The Boeing 737-800, scheduled to fly from Denver to Nashville, hit the truck around 8:30 a.m. as the aircraft exited the de-icing pad, a United Airlines spokesperson said.
United confirmed the worker was transported to the hospital. The airline’s statement did not describe the employee’s condition beyond that.
All 122 passengers and 6 crew members aboard the flight were unharmed, United said. Customers deplaned using air stairs and boarded buses to return to the terminal.
United rebooked travelers onto a replacement aircraft. “A de-icing truck made contact with a United aircraft in Denver on Friday morning, leading to an employee of the de-icing contractor being transported to the hospital. Customers deplaned via air stairs and were bused to the terminal, and we will arrange for a different aircraft to operate their flight,” the airline said.
The collision happened in a non-air-traffic-control-managed area, officials said. The incident unfolded during a First Alert Weather Day and a winter weather advisory in Colorado.
Heavy snow contributed to widespread delays at Denver International Airport, with flight tracking showing nearly 500 departing DIA flights delayed around that time. Travelers across the airport faced disruptions as de-icing activity continued amid the storm conditions.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident. No details have been released on what caused the collision, and it was not clear whether the injured worker was driving the truck.
Airport and United spokespersons confirmed the truck “made contact” with the aircraft. Officials did not provide further detail on the moment of impact or the actions immediately leading up to it.
Passenger Lauren Wolf, from Fremont, Nebraska, posted video from the scene and described earlier takeoff delays that she attributed to maintenance issues. Images circulating online, including photos posted on Reddit, showed the de-icing truck flipped on its side with emergency responders at the site.
Denver International Airport snow operations continued after the collision, adding to disruptions as the winter weather moved through. United arranged the replacement aircraft while the FAA review proceeds, and additional details are expected as the FAA, the airport and the airline examine what happened and the procedures used during de-icing operations.
