Delta plane flips upside down on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 18

On Monday, a Delta Air Lines regional jet overturned upon landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport amid strong winds following a major snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, officials reported. Among the injured, three passengers, including a child, suffered critical injuries.

The aircraft involved in the accident was a Bombardier CRJ900 operated by Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. The 16-year-old jet, which is powered by GE Aerospace engines and has a seating capacity of up to 90 passengers, had departed from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, and Canadian authorities announced an investigation into the incident.

Footage shared by passenger John Nelson on Facebook captured the aftermath, showing emergency responders spraying water on the overturned aircraft, which lay on a snow-covered tarmac. Nelson, who later spoke with CNN, recalled that there were no prior indications of trouble before landing.

“We hit the ground, and suddenly we were sideways, then upside down,” he described. “I was able to unbuckle my seatbelt and push myself to the ground. Some people needed help getting down, while others managed on their own.”

The severe weather conditions at Pearson Airport complicated flight operations. Earlier that day, the airport had been working to recover from weekend disruptions caused by a snowstorm that dumped over 22 centimeters (8.6 inches) of snow. Strong winds and frigid temperatures persisted, impacting flight schedules.

According to FlightRadar24, the Delta jet completed its 86-minute flight and touched down at 2:13 p.m. local time (1913 GMT). The plane ultimately came to a stop near the intersection of runway 23 and runway 15. A recording posted on liveatc.net captured an emergency worker reporting to air traffic control, “The aircraft is upside down and burning,” shortly after a controller observed passengers walking near the wreckage.

Toronto Pearson Airport president Deborah Flint credited the swift response of first responders for preventing any fatalities. “We are very grateful that there is no loss of life and only relatively minor injuries,” she stated during a press conference.

Michael J. McCormick, an associate professor specializing in air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, noted that the aircraft’s unusual upside-down position made this crash particularly unique. “The fact that 80 people survived an event like this is a testament to the engineering, technology, and regulatory safeguards that have been put in place,” he said. “Not too long ago, an accident like this might have been fatal.”

All 18 injured passengers were transported to hospitals for medical treatment. According to Supervisor Lawrence Saindon of Peel Regional Paramedic Services, two critically injured passengers were airlifted to trauma centers, while a child was taken to a pediatric hospital for specialized care.

The crash temporarily shut down Toronto Pearson Airport for more than two hours, resulting in numerous flight delays and diversions. Some flights were rerouted to Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, which announced that it was preparing to accommodate additional diverted aircraft, potentially causing further scheduling disruptions. Flint later confirmed that airport operations would continue to be affected in the coming days, as two runways would remain closed for the ongoing investigation.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) announced it was sending a team of investigators to examine the cause of the crash. The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also stated that it would assist Canada’s investigation. Meanwhile, Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which acquired the CRJ aircraft program from Bombardier in 2020, pledged its full cooperation with authorities.

This crash in Toronto follows a series of recent aviation accidents in North America. In Washington, an Army helicopter collided with a CRJ-700 passenger jet, resulting in 67 fatalities. In another tragic incident, a medical transport plane crashed in Philadelphia, claiming at least seven lives, while a separate passenger plane crash in Alaska killed 10 people.