A Delta Air Lines plane lies upside down after landing at Toronto Pearson Airport, Feb. 18, 2025. image: AP
(The Post News)– A Delta Air Lines flight, originating from Minneapolis, crashed upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada on Monday, leaving all 80 people on board miraculously unharmed. Despite the dramatic nature of the crash, including the plane overturning and catching fire, 21 passengers sustained injuries, with 19 having been released from the hospital by Tuesday morning.
The flight, Delta Flight 4819, was operated by Endeavor Air, a Delta subsidiary, and was attempting to land in gusty, snow-covered conditions. Video footage from the incident shows the plane’s rear landing gear buckling and the right wing cutting off as a fireball erupts upon landing. The jet skidded on its belly before rolling over, sending plumes of smoke and snow into the air.
Passenger John Nelson, who was on board the flight, described the landing as “super hard,” adding, “It hit the ground, and the plane went sideways. It’s amazing that we’re still here.” Nelson, who was still reeling from the experience, told CNN, “Even now I smell like jet fuel.”
Another passenger, Pete Koukov, recalled the frightening moment when the plane hit the ground and rolled over. “We were upside down, hanging like bats,” he said. Other passengers, such as Nick Costigan, who spoke with The Toronto Star, described their shock as flames briefly engulfed the window before the plane slid to a stop.
First responders were quick to act, and the plane’s crew evacuated the passengers in an orderly manner. “I’m incredibly proud of the professionalism of the Endeavor crew members who evacuated the aircraft, as well as the first responders,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement on Tuesday.
Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto Pearson International Airport, praised the “textbook response” of emergency personnel, which helped prevent any fatalities. The investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing, with over 20 investigators at the scene as of Tuesday afternoon.
Ken Webster, a senior investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, said it was “far too early to say what the cause of the accident might be.” The crash occurred on a day marked by strong winds and heavy snowfall, with wind gusts of up to 38 mph recorded at the airport. However, airport officials noted that the runway itself was dry at the time.
Todd Aitken, fire chief at Toronto Pearson, emphasized that no crosswind conditions were present, which could have complicated the landing. Still, retired pilot Les Abend suggested that the weather conditions might have shifted quickly, affecting the flight’s performance.
The flight’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered and are being analyzed for further insights. Aviation experts, including Steven Wallace, former director of the FAA’s Office of Crash Investigation, noted that the plane’s rapid speed after the right wing failed likely caused it to flip over.
As of Tuesday, the runway where the crash occurred remains closed, with operations expected to resume by Thursday evening. The last major incident at Toronto Pearson International Airport was in 2005, when an Air France flight slid off the runway. Fortunately, all 309 passengers aboard that flight survived.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, is leading the investigation into this incident
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