Delta plane flips upside down at Toronto airport, injuring 18 passengers
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First responders work at the Delta Air Lines plane crash site at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on Feb. 17. Photo: Reuters/Arlyn McAdorey
A Delta Air Lines plane from Minneapolis crashed while landing at Toronto's Pearson International Airport Monday, but officials said all 80 people on board were evacuated from the aircraft that flipped during snowy conditions.
The big picture: There were no fatalities from the crash that involved Delta Connection flight 4819, operated by regional subsidiary Endeavor Air, but "18 customers" were taken to local hospitals, per a Delta statement on what the airline called a "single-aircraft accident."
- Toronto Pearson CEO Deborah Flint at a Monday evening briefing said 22 of the 76 passengers and four crew members aboard the plane were Canadian. The others were "multinationals," added Flint, who did not elaborate further and declined to answer questions.
- Footage and photos of the scene showed the plane upside down on the snow-covered ground.
Situation report: Delta said the crash happened about 2:15pm ET during blowing snow and strong wind gusts.
- Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken said at a Monday night briefing that while the cause of the crash was being investigated, "the runway was dry and there was no cross-wind conditions."
- Medical transport provider Ornge said in a media statement that three people sustained critical injuries in the crash. However, Flint said at the evening briefing that officials did not know of any critical injuries.
- Departures and arrivals at Toronto Pearson resumed about 5pm ET after the airport briefly closed, according to Delta and the airport.
- Flint called the emergency response "textbook" and said the focus was on the care and concern for the passengers and the crew, "some of whom have already been reunified with their friends and their families."
Zoom in: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigators were en route to Toronto and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada will lead the investigation, per a post to X from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
- "I've been in touch with my counterpart in Canada to offer assistance and help with the investigation," Duffy added.
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said on Bluesky he's "in touch with Delta" about the crash, adding: "Grateful to the first responders and professionals on the scene."
Zoom out: The crash follows a midair collision last month between a commercial aircraft and an Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport, outside D.C.
- Despite these incidents, data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows flying is the safest form of transportation.
Go deeper: D.C. plane crash is among country's deadliest in decades
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
