A San Diego woman recalls a harrowing experience on a Frontier flight that caught fire

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating what went wrong when a Frontier plane that took off from San Diego on Saturday made an emergency landing in Las Vegas.

ABC 10 News Anchor Aaron Dickens spoke with a woman who said she smelled smoke and was on that flight.

She lives in the Normal Heights area, just about 10 minutes from San Diego International Airport. She said it was the first time she had flown Frontier and it would be the last time.

“That was a terrible experience. Things can happen. But it wasn’t handled properly,” Eydie Kaufman said.

Kaufman said she was among the 190 passengers on the Frontier flight. It left San Diego International for Vegas on Saturday afternoon.

Kaufman said she started smelling smoke.

“I had my mask on to help block out the smoke. As we began the descent, the plane was moving a lot, in a way that didn't feel normal,” she said.

This video captured the plane landing. From outside you can see the flames and smoke. Inside, Kaufman said flight attendants were asked if anything was wrong on the plane.

“They didn’t tell us anything. They said everything was fine. Take a seat. They didn't get the situation under control. They didn't help us. They wanted us to just stop talking about it,” Kaufman said.

According to the FAA, there was a fire in the plane's right engine. After landing, emergency services extinguished the flames. After 20 minutes, Kaufman said she got off the plane and was taken to the terminal.

“We went in. There was a baggage handler wearing a neon vest. I said, 'Where is the manager or supervisor? How do we make a claim or get a refund?' He was like, 'I don't know,'” Kaufman said.

Kaufman said she is still considering all options, including whether she will ever fly again.

Kaufman said the airline issued her a refund after she contacted its media department.

Frontier released a partial statement:

“The pilots noticed smoke and declared an emergency. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew were evacuated. No injuries were reported. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.”