A preliminary report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has revealed new details about Delta Flight 4819, which crash-landed and flipped over while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson International Airport on February 17, 2025.
The flight, which departed from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, was reportedly normal until its final descent. As the aircraft approached Runway 23, gusty winds up to 35 knots and a rapid rate of descent triggered an alert from the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS), warning of a potential issue.
At 2:12:43 p.m., the plane’s right main landing gear (MLG) touched down first, but immediately collapsed due to a fracture in its support structure. This failure caused the wing to detach from the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel that ignited. As the aircraft slid down the runway, it rolled to the right and flipped upside down, breaking off portions of the tail and stabilizers before finally coming to a stop in a snow-covered area near Runway 15L.
Despite the violent crash, all 80 passengers and crew members survived, though 21 people sustained injuries. The report noted that passengers were left hanging upside down in their seats, struggling to unbuckle their safety belts, with some falling to the ceiling once they were released.
Investigators have yet to determine the exact cause of the crash and are examining the aircraft’s structural integrity, landing techniques, pilot training, and evacuation procedures.
In response, Delta released a statement emphasizing that “nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our people” and confirmed their full cooperation with the investigation.
