TORONTO- A Delta Air Lines (DL) Bombardier CRJ900 plane crash landed and overturned at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) on Monday afternoon (February 18, 2025) and was captured on video, resulting in twenty-one injuries, including one child.
A newly emerged video captures the aircraft touching down, bursting into flames, and sliding across the runway before overturning.
Delta Plane Crash Video
The incident involved Delta flight DL4819, operated by subsidiary Endeavor Air, which departed from Minneapolis carrying 76 passengers and four crew members. Twenty-two passengers held Canadian citizenship, while others represented various nationalities.
Airport officials confirmed the crash occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m., prompting the closure of Toronto Pearson International Airport for several hours as emergency response teams managed the situation. Nineteen of the injured individuals have since been discharged from hospital.
Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the airport, confirmed all passengers and crew were accounted for with no fatalities reported. The video documenting the crash was shared by X (formerly Twitter) user @airmainengineer.
Severe winter conditions plagued Toronto Pearson International Airport during Monday’s Delta Air Lines crash, with Environment Canada reporting wind gusts reaching 65 km/h and temperatures dropping to minus 8.6 degrees Celsius amid blowing snow. The aircraft landed following a significant winter storm that impacted the Toronto region over the weekend.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada leads the ongoing investigation into the crash’s cause. Initial technical analysis from an anonymous regional airline pilot familiar with the Bombardier CRJ aircraft identifies key structural damage patterns, noting the intact nose landing gear contrasts with sheared-off main landing gear components.
The damage pattern suggests the aircraft experienced lateral movement before losing control, potentially caused by strong crosswinds, runway contamination from snow and ice, or a combination of these factors. The pilot emphasizes the aircraft typically handles well in crosswind conditions within manufacturer specifications.
Additional mechanical factors might have contributed to the crash, including potential wheel breakage or brake system freezing during landing. The pilot cautions against premature conclusions as investigators continue their work to determine the precise cause of the accident.
Under Investigation
A Transportation Safety Board of Canada investigation is underway following a Delta Air Lines Bombardier CRJ900 crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has dispatched U.S. investigators to assist in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization protocols.
Aviation experts highlight weather conditions as potential contributing factors. Aviation analyst Pete Schirard explains that while the CRJ-900 aircraft can handle crosswinds up to 35 knots, the 23-24 knot winds striking at a 45-degree angle, combined with snow and ice on the runway, created challenging landing conditions. He notes that compressed snow and ice patches could have forced the aircraft off the runway despite the winds being within acceptable limits.
Mary Schiavo, former U.S. Department of Transportation inspector general, emphasizes that pilots sometimes face critical decision points during landing where alternatives become limited. The Federal Aviation Administration implemented a ground stop following the incident.
Canadian and U.S. officials have responded swiftly. Transportation Minister Anita Anand monitors the situation closely, while U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy offers investigative support. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz maintains contact with Delta, as the flight originated from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport.
Delta confirms that while several passengers sustained injuries requiring hospital transport, no fatalities occurred. Delta CEO Ed Bastian expresses gratitude to emergency responders and airline staff managing the incident. Ontario Premier Doug Ford shares relief regarding the absence of casualties.
Similar Incidents
The Delta Air Lines crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport becomes the fourth major aviation incident in North America within three weeks, marking the airport’s most significant accident since the 2005 Air France Flight 358 incident. That previous crash involved an Airbus A340 skidding off the runway during stormy conditions, though all 309 occupants survived.
A fatal collision between an American Airlines (AA) jetliner and an Army helicopter near Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport on January 29 claimed 67 lives. This tragedy preceded a medical transportation plane crash in Philadelphia on January 31, resulting in seven fatalities, including one person on the ground.
The series of accidents continued with a deadly crash in Alaska on February 6, causing ten fatalities.
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