An unexpected incident involving a Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 (tail number N365FR) caused significant delays at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on August 16, 2025. A ground air-conditioning hose was reportedly sucked into the aircraft’s #1 engine and shredded to pieces during pre-departure ramp activity.
The affected flight, F93134, was scheduled to travel from Charlotte to LaGuardia, but the damage rendered the aircraft non-serviceable. Passengers were eventually transferred to a replacement aircraft and departed approximately 9 hours later.
What Happened
According to aviation sources, the A320 had arrived earlier that day from Philadelphia (flight F92387) at 10:25 AM. While preparing to depart for New York, the powerful suction of the aircraft’s engine reportedly pulled in a ground air-conditioning unit hose. The hose was shredded upon contact with the CFMI LEAP-1A26 engine, prompting immediate ground crew response and inspection.
Watch video footage of the incident in the comments section.
Aircraft Details:
- Aircraft Type: Airbus A320-251N
- Tail Number: N365FR
- MSN (Manufacturer Serial Number): 9340
- First Flight: June 12, 2019
- Engines: 2 x CFMI LEAP-1A26
- Aircraft Age: 5.7 years
Despite initial confusion, it was confirmed that the aircraft involved was an A320 and not an A321, as some early reports suggested. No injuries were reported, and the situation was handled efficiently by Frontier’s operations team.
While this event serves as a reminder of the potential hazards of ramp operations, airline and airport safety protocols ensured that the risk to passengers and staff was minimized.
