DENVER- Frontier Airlines (F9) Flight 3566 diverted from its scheduled route between Denver International Airport (DEN) and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after a leaking bathroom sink flooded part of the aircraft cabin.
The pilots declared an emergency after water spread across the cabin floor, raising concerns about possible damage to onboard electronics. The aircraft landed safely at O’Hare, and no injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
Frontier Airlines Flight Diverts After Lavatory Leak Floods Cabin
The incident occurred while the aircraft was operating a scheduled service from Denver to Detroit. According to air traffic control recordings, the forward lavatory sink developed a leak that caused water to spray across the aircraft floor and spread towards the passenger cabin.
The situation prompted the flight crew to declare an emergency and request an immediate diversion to Chicago O’Hare. The pilots were concerned that the increasing amount of water could reach sensitive electrical equipment and potentially affect aircraft systems.
Pilots Declare Mayday Over Cabin Flooding
Air traffic control recordings broadcast by LiveATC.net captured the pilot declaring an emergency using the internationally recognised distress call.
“Mayday, mayday, mayday,” the pilot told air traffic controllers.
The pilot explained that the forward lavatory sink had sprung a leak and was spraying so much water that it was flooding the cabin area towards the rear of the aircraft.
The crew specifically highlighted concerns about water reaching the aircraft’s electronics and requested permission to divert to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
Air traffic controllers subsequently cleared the aircraft to land at O’Hare. The crew prioritised the diversion rather than continuing the journey to Detroit.
Passenger Video Shows Water Covering Aircraft Aisle
Footage recorded by a passenger and obtained by ABC7 showed the extent of the flooding inside the aircraft.
The video showed water covering sections of the aisle and spreading across the cabin floor. The leak originated from the forward lavatory, allowing water to move beyond the bathroom area and into the passenger cabin.
According to a passenger who spoke to CBS News Chicago, a plumber travelling aboard the aircraft helped shut off the leaking sink.
However, a substantial amount of water had already spread across the cabin floor before the water supply was stopped. The pilots therefore proceeded with the emergency diversion to O’Hare.
Frontier Confirms Safe Landing and No Injuries
Frontier Airlines confirmed that the aircraft experienced a forward lavatory faucet malfunction while operating Flight 3566 from Denver to Detroit.
In its statement, the airline said the leak allowed water to flow along part of the aircraft floor. The captain subsequently requested an emergency landing at Chicago O’Hare as a precaution.
The aircraft landed safely, with no injuries reported among passengers or crew members.
Following the landing, the aircraft was parked at Gate M40 at O’Hare while maintenance personnel carried out inspections. Frontier also arranged for a replacement aircraft to transport affected passengers to Detroit.
The airline did not report any injuries or confirm damage to the aircraft’s electrical systems in its reported statement.
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