All 80 people on board a Delta Air Lines flight survived when the jet flipped onto its roof while landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday, reports AP.
The flight, arriving from Minneapolis with 76 passengers and four crew members, was attempting to land on a dry runway amidst snow and gusting winds of up to 40 mph (65 kph) around 2:15 p.m. While the cause of the incident is still under investigation, the airport’s CEO confirmed that the injuries sustained by the passengers were relatively minor.
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Social media footage captured the aftermath, showing the Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR overturned, with the fuselage largely intact. Firefighters worked to extinguish the remaining fire as passengers exited the plane and walked across the tarmac. Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, expressed gratitude that there were no fatalities and only minor injuries.
Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken reported that 18 passengers were taken to the hospital. Earlier, Ornge air ambulance had transported one pediatric patient to SickKids hospital and two adults to other hospitals.
The plane came to rest at the intersection of Runways 23 and 15L, not far from the start of the runway. Controllers communicated with the crew of a medical helicopter returning to assist with the crash. The weather conditions at the time included blowing snow and wind gusts, with temperatures around 16.5°F (-8.6°C).
John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, called the incident rare, noting that while inverted takeoffs are seen occasionally, such events are unusual. He explained that the CRJ-900 is a well-established aircraft, capable of handling inclement weather. However, he raised questions about the missing right wing, which may have contributed to the plane's inversion.
The last major crash at Pearson occurred in August 2005 when an Air France Airbus A340 skidded off the runway during stormy weather, but all 309 people aboard survived. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation into this latest incident, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board.
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This marks at least the fourth significant aviation mishap in North America in the past month, following a helicopter collision, a plane crash in Philadelphia, and another in Alaska. Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford expressed relief that no lives were lost, and offered support to local authorities. Delta CEO Ed Bastian conveyed the airline’s sympathies to those affected.