Abdelrahman
CNN
—
A Delta Air Lines flight originating from Minneapolis experienced a dramatic incident when it crashed and flipped over upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, marking yet another event in a series of passenger aircraft accidents since December.
Fortunately, all 80 individuals aboard the CRJ900 twin-jet survived the incident; however, Delta reported that 18 passengers sustained injuries during the event.
This crash is part of a troubling trend in aviation safety, as earlier this month saw 10 fatalities resulting from a regional airline incident in Alaska. Just weeks ago, a midair collision between an American Airlines flight and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C. resulted in 67 deaths. Furthermore, last December also experienced two significant crashes involving Jeju Air and Azerbaijan Airlines.
Here is a summary of what occurred:
All 80 passengers and crew safe
Delta Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, had departed from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and went down at Toronto Pearson around 2:15 p.m. ET, as confirmed by Delta officials.
Fortunately, no deaths have been reported as of Monday evening, although Delta Air Lines and Toronto Airport Fire Chief Todd Aitken confirmed that 18 individuals were injured.
Among those injured was a child, who is reported to be in stable condition according to the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Some passengers who were hospitalized have already been discharged, as indicated by Delta’s statement.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed sympathy for those impacted by the incident, stating, “The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport. I want to thank all Delta and Endeavor team members and the first responders on the scene.”
Deborah Flint, Toronto Pearson International Airport’s president and CEO, also praised the first responders for their “textbook response,” which played a critical role in avoiding fatalities.
Emergency Landing: Passengers Described Being ‘Upside Down’
Passenger Pete Koukov recounted that he was unaware anything was wrong until the aircraft hit the runway, which he characterized as a severe landing.
“We hit the ground, ended up sideways, and then flipped upside down like bats,” Koukov told CNN’s Brianna Keilar.
Visuals displayed the aircraft inverted with its wheels pointed skyward on a snow-covered runway. An emergency helicopter pilot in the vicinity reported observing the aircraft “upside down and engulfed in flames.”
Koukov managed to unfasten his seatbelt and crawl to the ground to exit, although several passengers required assistance to disembark.
“I feel fortunate to have been able to embrace the stranger next to me, express my relief that we were safe, and later share a warm hug with my friends waiting for me,” he mentioned.
Another passenger, John Nelson, expressed gratitude for their survival, stating, “It’s astonishing that we made it through.”
Nelson described the landing as extremely forceful, stating, “Upon impact, the plane veered sideways and I noticed a significant fireball to my left.”
He depicted a scenario filled with panic as passengers rushed to unbuckle and evacuate.
“We attempted to exit as swiftly as possible,” Nelson noted, adding, “Even now, I still smell like jet fuel.”
Peter Goelz, a CNN aviation expert and former managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board, explained that the Bombardier CRJ900 was designed to absorb impact during hard landings, allowing for the swift evacuation of those on board.
Investigations Underway by Canadian and US Authorities
The incident took place on a blustery day in Canada’s largest city, following substantial snowfall – yet, the runway was reported to be dry, with no crosswinds present, according to Chief Todd Aitken of the airport fire department.
Winds were reported at 32 mph, with gusts reaching 40 mph, causing flying snow and maintaining visibility at five miles during the incident.
Two runways at Toronto Pearson Airport will remain closed “for the remainder of the evening and into the coming days” as authorities conduct their investigation, according to the CEO of the airport.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigative efforts, with assistance from the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy noted on X that Federal Aviation Administration investigators are headed to Toronto and that he has been coordinating with his Canadian counterpart.
In addition, key members of Endeavor Air’s leadership, including CEO Jim Graham, are also en route to Toronto to facilitate the investigation process, as stated by Delta.
Contributions to this report came from CNN’s Taylor Ward, Tara John, Alexandra Skores, Mitchell McCluskey, Amir Vera, Taylor Romine, Amanda Jackson, Elise Hammond, Pete Muntean, and Karina Tsui.
