Here is what we know so far about the Delta airlines flight that crash landed at Toronto Pearson International Airport, flipping on its roof, injuring several people.
Crash Details:
Delta Air Lines flight 4819 from Minneapolis to Toronto, operated by subsidiary Endeaver Air, was carrying a total of 80 people on board — 76 passengers and four crew members. Among the passengers, 22 of them were Canadian. The rest were multinational, according to Deborah Flint, president and CEO of the airport.
The plane crash happened at around 2:30 p.m. ET.
All passengers and crew were accounted for. There were no fatalities, however, at least 18 people were injured from the crash, including a child.
The aircraft was a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR. Video posted to social media showed the aftermath with the plane overturned and firefighters dousing the aircraft as passengers climbed out and walked across the snowy tarmac.
“Airport emergency workers mounted a textbook response, reaching the site within minutes and quickly evacuating the passengers,” Flint said at a press conference on Monday night.
On Monday, Pearson was experiencing blowing snow and winds of 51 km/h gusting to 65 km/h, according to the Meteorological Service of Canada. The temperature was about minus 8.6 degrees Celsius. The plan arriving from Minneapolis arrived amid blowing snow following a winter storm that hit the Toronto region over the weekend.
No word on what caused the crash, expert weighs in
There was no immediate word by officials on what led to the incident, as the investigation is still in its early stages. The investigation is being led by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
One regional airline pilot, who has flown the Bombardier CRJ noted that photos of the crashed jet showed its nose landing gear intact, while its two other wheels and landing gear appeared to have been sheared off.
Such damage suggested the Delta Air Lines pilot was going laterally, not straight, prior to losing control of the jet and crashing, either because of high, gusting winds, or snow and ice on runway, or dangerous a combination of both, the pilot suggested.
“It’s an easy plane to land, even with crosswinds, as long as you are within the manufacturer’s limitations,” said the regional airline pilot, who did not want to be named as he is employed in the industry.
“Maybe a broken wheel, or a frozen brake also occurred during the landing,” added the pilot, who cautioned about drawing any quick conclusions.
Toronto airport reopens but delays expected ‘over the next few days’
Flint said the airport does expect there will be some operational impacts and delays at Toronto Pearson International Airport over the next few days as two runways are closed for the investigation.
“We will be sharing information periodically, for those traveling, continue to look at our website and be in touch with your respective carrier as well,” she said.
As of Tuesday, Pearson’s website showed multiple delays for flights departing in the morning.
The delays come after an already backlog of cancellations and delays over the past few days from a major winter storm that hit the region.
Last major crash at Pearson was 20 years ago
The last major crash at Pearson was on Aug. 2, 2005, when an Airbus A340 landing from Paris skidded off the runway and burst into flames amid stormy weather. All 309 passengers and crew aboard Air France Flight 358 survived the crash.
Monday’s crash at Pearson airport was the fourth major aviation accident in North America in the past three weeks. A commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, killing 67 people. A medical transportation plane crashed in Philadelphia on Jan. 31, killing the six people on board and another person on the ground. And on Feb. 6, 10 people were killed in a plane crash in Alaska.
— With files from Global News’ Aaron D’Andrea and The Canadian Press