Newly surfaced footage shows the dramatic crash-landing of a Delta Air Lines flight at Toronto Pearson International Airport, capturing the moment the aircraft’s landing gear buckled, the right wing detached in a fireball, and the plane flipped upside down on the icy runway.
Footage of Delta crash at Toronto Pearson runway surfaces online
Despite the harrowing impact, all 80 passengers and crew survived, with 21 people taken to hospitals, Delta confirmed in a statement.
The video, taken from another aircraft near the runway, shows the CRJ900 twin-jet skidding on its belly before flipping, sending smoke and powdery snow into the air. In the background, a witness can be heard reacting in shock:
“Oh, no, no, no, no, no!”
Passenger John Nelson, who was onboard the flight, described the landing in a quote taken from CNN:
“When we hit, it was just super hard. It hit the ground, and the plane went sideways. It’s amazing that we’re still here. Even now I smell like jet fuel.”
Latest updates on the crash
The Delta Flight 4819, operated by Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor Air, was arriving from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport when it crashed at 2:15 p.m. ET on Monday. The plane landed hard in snowy conditions, causing catastrophic damage to its undercarriage and wings.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed relief that there were no fatalities and praised the crew and emergency responders:
“The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today’s incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport. I’m incredibly proud of the professionalism of the Endeavor crew members who evacuated the aircraft, as well as the first responders at Toronto Pearson International Airport.”
Following the crash, Toronto Pearson International Airport temporarily shut down, leading to widespread flight delays and cancellations. On Tuesday morning, data from FlightAware showed that 11% of Pearson’s departures and 15% of arrivals had been cancelled, affecting more than 140 flights.
Delta has since issued a travel waiver for passengers flying through Toronto Pearson until Thursday, 20 February 2025, allowing them to reschedule without fare differences if they complete their journey by Monday, 23 February 2025.
Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with authorities reviewing weather conditions, pilot actions, and potential mechanical failures. More details are expected to emerge as officials analyse black box recordings and cockpit communications.
