Toronto, Canada | February 18 – A regional jet overturned upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday amid strong winds following a snowstorm, injuring 18 passengers, including a child in critical condition. The incident involved a Delta Air Lines CRJ900 aircraft operated by Endeavor Air, which was carrying 76 passengers and four crew members on a flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
Emergency responders swiftly transported three critically injured passengers, including a child, to medical facilities, while 15 others received immediate hospital care. Delta confirmed late Monday that some injured passengers had since been released.
Investigation Underway
The cause of the accident remains unknown, and Canadian authorities have launched a formal investigation. Video footage from the crash site showed at least one wing detached from the aircraft, which lay belly-up on the snow-covered tarmac. Passenger John Nelson, who captured the aftermath on video, described the moment of impact.
“We hit the ground, and suddenly we were sideways, then upside down,” Nelson told CNN. “I unbuckled and managed to push myself to the ground, but others needed help getting down.”
Weather and Landing Conditions
The aircraft, a 16-year-old CRJ900 manufactured by Canada’s Bombardier and powered by GE Aerospace engines, touched down at 2:13 p.m. local time (1913 GMT) near the intersection of Runway 23 and Runway 15, according to FlightRadar24 data.
While Toronto Pearson Airport was experiencing high winds and subzero temperatures after a weekend snowstorm, airport fire officials initially reported dry runway conditions with no significant crosswinds. However, aviation experts contested this claim, with pilot and U.S. aviation safety expert John Cox noting that recorded data indicated gusting crosswinds averaging 19 knots (22 mph), requiring constant pilot adjustments during landing.
“The pilots would have had to continuously adjust airspeed, vertical approach, and lateral positioning,” Cox explained, adding that investigators would now work to determine why the right wing separated from the fuselage.
Survivability and Aviation Safety
Aviation expert Michael J. McCormick from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University described the accident as rare due to the aircraft flipping completely upside down upon landing.
“The fact that all 80 people survived is a testament to modern engineering, technology, and regulatory oversight,” McCormick noted, emphasizing improvements in aircraft safety over the years.
Historically, aircraft flipping over on landing has been a rare but deadly occurrence, primarily involving McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft. Previous incidents include a FedEx freighter crash in Tokyo (2009), a China Airlines accident in Hong Kong (1999), and another FedEx freighter incident in Newark (1997).
Airport Operations and Investigation
Flights at Toronto Pearson Airport have resumed, but operational disruptions are expected as two runways remain closed for investigation. Airport President Deborah Flint credited first responders for preventing fatalities.
“We are very grateful that no lives were lost and that injuries were relatively minor given the severity of the incident,” Flint said at a press conference.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has dispatched investigators to the site, while the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will provide assistance. Global aviation regulations mandate that a preliminary report be released within 30 days.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which acquired Bombardier’s CRJ program in 2020, stated it was aware of the incident and pledged full cooperation with investigators.
Recent Aviation Incidents in North America
The Toronto crash follows several recent aviation accidents in North America. An Army helicopter recently collided with a CRJ-700 passenger jet in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people, while at least seven fatalities were reported in a medical transport plane crash in Philadelphia. Additionally, 10 people lost their lives in a passenger plane crash in Alaska.
As investigations continue, the Toronto incident raises fresh concerns about adverse weather conditions and their impact on flight safety, underscoring the critical role of aviation regulations and emergency response systems in preventing mass casualties.
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