Delta Flight Crash Lands in Toronto Amid Snowstorm
Toronto, Tuesday, 18 February 2025.
Delta Flight 4819 flipped upon landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on February 17, 2025, amid high winds and snow, injuring 21 people. An investigation is ongoing.
Dramatic Landing in Severe Weather
The incident occurred at approximately 2:15 PM ET when the Endeavor Air-operated CRJ-900 aircraft, carrying 76 passengers and 4 crew members, crash-landed during challenging weather conditions with winds gusting up to 40 mph (65 kph) [1][5]. According to passenger Peter Carlson, ‘All the sudden everything just kind of went sideways and then next thing I know it’s kind of a blink and I’m upside down still strapped in’ [3]. The plane ultimately came to rest inverted on the runway [1].
Emergency Response and Casualties
Of the 21 people injured, three remain in critical condition, including a child and two adults - a man in his 60s and a woman in her 40s [1]. Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken reported that despite the severe weather, ‘the runway was dry and there were no crosswind conditions at the time of the crash’ [1]. Emergency response teams acted swiftly, and as of February 18, 19 of the 21 hospitalized passengers have been released [1].
Operational Impact and Airline Response
Delta Airlines has activated its Passenger Inquiry Center for affected families [2] and deployed specially trained Delta Care Team representatives to provide support [2]. Delta CEO Ed Bastian emphasized, ‘Our most pressing priority remains taking care of all customers and Endeavor crew members who were involved’ [1][2]. Flight operations at Toronto Pearson resumed at 5 PM ET on February 18, though two runways remain closed [1].
Investigation Underway
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board [3][6]. This incident marks the fourth major North American aviation accident in three weeks, following previous incidents near Reagan National Airport, Philadelphia, and Alaska [6]. ‘It’s unusual for a plane to end up on its roof,’ noted Safety Operating Systems CEO John Cox [6], highlighting the unique nature of this incident.