Several dramatic videos of passengers standing on the wing of the plane before evacuating as smoke poured out the engine were posted on social media.
American Airlines said the plane had landed safely and taxied to the gate when it experienced an “engine-related issue”.
The plane, which is 13 years old according to flight tracking website FlightRadar24, was equipped with two CFM56 engines manufactured by CFM International, a joint venture between GE and Safran.
The FAA said it would investigate the incident. A Denver International Airport spokesperson said the fire had been extinguished and flight operations had continued as normal.
Boeing declined to comment, referring queries to American Airlines and investigators. GE did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The engine fire is the latest in a series of high-profile aviation incidents that have raised questions about US aviation safety, including the Jan 29 mid-air collision of an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people.
Last month, a Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down upon landing at Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport, amid windy weather following a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, though all passengers and crew members survived the incident.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and Delta CEO Ed Bastian on Tuesday cited recent air crashes and weather events as contributing factors to dampening US travel demand, alongside mounting economic uncertainty.
