A Delta Air Lines plane crashed and overturned while landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon, injuring nine people. The plane, Flight 4819 from Minneapolis, was trying to land in strong winds and drifting snow. It ended up on its back, with at least one wing broken off.
There were 80 people on board, and all of them were safely evacuated, despite the dramatic crash. Passengers were seen walking away from the plane on the snow-covered tarmac after exiting through the front and rear doors. Firefighters were spraying water on the plane as they worked at the scene.
Nine people were hurt, including two in serious condition. One was a child, and the other was an adult with injuries that were not expected to be life-threatening. Seven other passengers were taken to hospitals with minor or moderate injuries.
The crash occurred around 2:45 p.m. local time. The plane was a CRJ-900, made by Bombardier and operated by Endeavor Air, a Delta subsidiary. At the time, the weather in Toronto was challenging, with strong winds at 29 mph and gusts reaching up to 38 mph, along with drifting snow. The region had been hit by snowstorms in the past days.
Earlier in the day, airport officials had expected a busy schedule, as airlines were catching up after the snowstorms, including one that dropped over eight inches of snow over the weekend.
Delta confirmed they were aware of the crash and were working to get more details. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation into the incident.
In response to the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a ground stop advisory. Canada’s transportation minister, Anita Anand, said she was following the situation closely on social media.
By 5 p.m., flights had resumed at the airport, and all 80 people on board were accounted for.
Endeavor Air typically operates smaller planes on shorter routes for Delta. Their fleet includes around 120 CRJ-900 aircraft, which usually have 70 to 76 seats. The plane involved in the crash was about 16 years old. These planes are known for having a good safety record and can usually be flown for 20 to 30 years with proper maintenance.
This crash adds to a series of recent aviation incidents. In January, a military helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet near Washington, D.C., killing all 67 people on board. A few days later, a small medical plane crashed in Philadelphia, also killing everyone on board.
Other recent incidents include a Delta flight that had to return to Minneapolis because of a problem with the plane’s flaps and a Japan Airlines plane clipping a parked Delta plane in Seattle.
You can watch the video of the crash aftermath below.
