Picture credits: John Nelson Facebook
Toronto, Feb 17: Delta Air Lines Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, crash-landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday after a hard landing caused the Bombardier CRJ-900 to flip upside down during its approach. The flight, which departed from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, was carrying 80 people onboard, including 76 passengers and 4 crew members.
The crash left 18 injured, with three reported to be severely hurt— a child, a man in his 60s, and a woman in her 40s. All were stable after being transported to the hospital, and the child’s age was not clarified. Fortunately, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. local time as the aircraft attempted to land in challenging weather conditions, including strong winds reaching 38 mph and remnants of snow from the previous weekend. Emergency teams quickly evacuated all passengers and crew before the plane caught fire.
Below is CCTV footage that has been circulating on social media.
New best angle video of YYZ Delta Airlines CRJ-900 DL4819 crash. pic.twitter.com/xtF5VeWzyx
— dcliving3436 (@dcliving3436) February 18, 2025
Delta Airlines confirmed that all passengers and crew were accounted for, and that some of the injured were released later on Monday.
Toronto Pearson International Airport issued an initial update: “Toronto Pearson is aware of an incident involving a Delta Airlines plane arriving from Minneapolis. Emergency teams are responding. All passengers and crew are accounted for.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow expressed relief, thanking the first responders, crew, and airport staff for their quick actions and commitment to safety.
The Bombardier CRJ-900, typically used for regional routes, is equipped with two General Electric CF34-8C5 turbofan engines and has a seating capacity of 76 to 90 passengers.
Witnesses described the crash as chaotic. Passengers recalled the plane hitting the ground “sideways” before flipping over. John Nelson reported a “super hard” landing followed by a fireball from the left side of the plane. Pete Koukov shared his experience, saying, “We hit the ground, and we were sideways, and then we were upside down, hanging like bats.”
Ashley Zook, a passenger, posted videos showing her hanging upside down in her seat. “I was just in a plane crash. Oh my God!” she exclaimed.
The crash led to the temporary closure of Toronto Pearson, with 237 flights canceled by 4:15 p.m. However, by 5 p.m., departures and arrivals resumed with three runways cleared for service.
Delta Airlines expressed gratitude to the first responders and emergency personnel for their swift actions.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also offered their thanks, with Duffy offering assistance for the investigation.
Toronto Pearson’s CEO, Deborah Flint, acknowledged the disruption and confirmed that two runways would remain closed for several more days due to the ongoing investigation, affecting travel at the airport.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, assisted by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, has launched an investigation into the crash. Initial reports point to challenging weather conditions, though the investigation will clarify the cause.
Stay tuned to Aviation Today for latest updates in aviation.
