Toronto, Feb. 17, 2025—A Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis to Toronto Pearson International Airport experienced a traumatic landing yesterday afternoon, resulting in the plane flipping upside-down upon impact. Remarkably, all 80 people on board survived unharmed.
The incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. local time, as Flight 4819, operated by a Bombardier CRJ-900, approached the runway in clear weather conditions. Despite initial reports suggesting serious injuries, officials have confirmed that 18 passengers were taken to local hospitals, but none were seriously injured.
Passenger John Nelson recalled the frightening experience, saying the plane “hit the ground hard” and “went sideways” before flipping over. He described the runway as being in “weird condition” despite the absence of adverse weather.
Emergency response teams quickly evacuated all passengers and crew members before the left wing of the plane caught fire. The quick actions of first responders played a key role in preventing fatalities. Greater Toronto Airports Authority CEO Deborah Flint expressed relief, saying, “We are grateful that there were no fatalities and the injuries sustained are not life-threatening.”
The cause of the accident is under investigation. Both the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) are collaborating to determine the cause of the accident. Notably, the runway was dry and no significant crosswinds were reported at the time of landing.
Subsequently, two runways at Toronto Pearson were temporarily closed to facilitate the investigation, causing several flights to be delayed and canceled. The airport resumed operations later in the day, with support services for affected passengers.
The incident is the fourth major aviation accident in North America in the past month, underscoring ongoing concerns about air travel safety in the region.