A Delta Air Lines regional jet flipped upside down while landing at Toronto Pearson Airport, leaving 18 people injured. The flight, operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, was carrying 76 passengers. The flight also had four crew members from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
The incident took place on Monday afternoon amid reports of high winds and recent heavy snowfall in the area. Some passengers described the scenario as hanging “like bats” inside the aircraft after it crashed.
Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, transporting 18 individuals to local hospitals. Three people, including a child, suffered critical injuries, while others sustained minor to serious injuries.
Video footage from the aftermath showed the aircraft belly-up on the snow-covered tarmac, with at least one wing detached. Passengers described the moment of impact as sudden and disorienting.
“We hit the ground, and we were sideways, and then we were upside down. “Some people were hanging and needed help getting down.”
said passenger John Nelson.
The crash’s impact goes beyond the immediate injuries. The airport faced significant delays and disruptions, with two runways closed for several days. Flights into and out of Toronto Pearson were temporarily halted before resuming later in the evening.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) launched an investigation, while airport officials reassured travelers that emergency responses followed strict safety protocols. The economic toll includes flight cancellations, rerouted passengers, and logistical complications for airline operators.
Despite early reports suggesting strong winds, airport officials later stated that the runway was dry and there were no crosswind conditions. This contradiction has raised questions about the exact cause of the crash.
The 16-year-old CRJ900 aircraft, manufactured by Canada’s Bombardier and powered by GE Aerospace engines, had no prior publicly reported technical issues. The incident adds to a series of recent aviation accidents in North America, including a fatal mid-air collision near Washington, D.C.
Social media footage showed passengers evacuating the overturned plane as emergency crews sprayed it with foam.
“We’re in Toronto, we just landed. Our plane crashed, it’s upside down,” one passenger recorded in a video.
Another described the scene as chaotic yet controlled, with most passengers able to exit safely. Officials from both the U.S. and Canadian governments are closely monitoring the investigation.
The crash follows days of weather-related delays in Toronto, where back-to-back snowstorms had dumped up to 50 centimeters of snow.
While initial speculation linked the accident to weather conditions, the conflicting reports on wind conditions leave unanswered questions about what led to the aircraft flipping on landing. Could there be an undetected mechanical issue or pilot error?
Investigators will be reviewing flight data and cockpit recordings to determine the cause.
For now, passengers stranded at the airport are dealing with cancellations and limited rebooking options. “We were supposed to be on that flight,” said James Turner.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of how even routine flights can turn into unexpected disasters.
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