Newly released dashcam footage reveals the terrifying moment a Delta Air Lines CRJ-900, operated by Endeavor Air, burst into flames and overturned during a crash landing at Toronto's Pearson Airport on February 17, 2025. Additional footage captured a passenger's escape from the upturned aircraft onto the snow-covered runway.
In a press conference held early Tuesday afternoon, Deborah Flint, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, confirmed 21 passenger injuries, ranging from minor to critical, but thankfully none were life-threatening. Delta Air Lines reported that 19 passengers were subsequently released from the hospital, with two remaining under care as of Tuesday afternoon. While earlier reports mentioned three individuals, including a child, with critical injuries, Flint couldn't confirm the child's current hospitalization status.
Delta Connection Flight 4819, originating from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport, experienced this "single-aircraft accident" at approximately 2:15 p.m. ET on Monday. Images depict the CRJ-900 with a detached tail and wing, lying inverted in the snow. All 80 individuals on board were safely evacuated.
Flint highlighted the severe weather conditions at Toronto Pearson, with two snowstorms depositing over 20 inches of snow between Thursday and Sunday – exceeding the total snowfall from the previous winter. She expressed gratitude for the swift response of the crew, pilots, flight attendants, and emergency responders, emphasizing the effectiveness of safety protocols within the aviation system.
While hundreds of flights were canceled due to the extreme weather, Monday was designated for "operational recovery." However, an additional 462 flights were canceled following the crash. The plane carried 76 passengers, including 22 Canadians, and four crew members.
One passenger, Pete Carlson, an American healthcare worker attending a paramedics conference in Toronto, recounted the sudden shift from anticipation to chaos during the landing. He described the experience as going from waiting to see friends to being upside down in an instant. Despite the "forceful" landing, Carlson expressed amazement at his survival and likened exiting the plane to "stepping onto the tundra."
He emphasized the collective desire to escape the aircraft, regardless of the cold or distance. Injured passengers were promptly transported to a safe location for triage and assessment. Air traffic control audio revealed the urgency of the situation, with officials reporting the plane as "upside-down and burning."
Two patients were airlifted to separate trauma centers—Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center and St. Michael's Hospital—while a four-year-old child was taken to The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
The cause of the crash is currently under investigation, led by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Delta's incident response team, including their Care Team, has been deployed to Toronto to provide support to those affected. Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed the company's commitment to assisting passengers and crew members, extending their thoughts and prayers.
Several Minnesota political figures, including Gov. Tim Walz, Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and Reps. Tom Emmer, Angie Craig, and Pete Stauber, publicly expressed concern and support following the incident. The crash comes shortly after a fatal midair collision near Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport, prompting a review of air traffic control systems. Recent North American aviation incidents include a commuter plane crash in Alaska and a medical transport jet crash in Philadelphia.
