On Monday, Feb. 19th 2024, Delta Flight 4819, arriving at the Toronto Pearson International Airport from the Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, crash landed, turned over upon impact, and burned. All 80 individuals on the flight—the 76 passengers and four flight employees survived miraculously, although 21 were injured.
According to witnesses and accounts, the Bombardier CRJ900LR attempted to land at the time of 2:15 pm local time when the flight unexpectedly turned over on the runway. Witnesses have described a frightening couple of minutes while the flight skidded to a halt with passengers hanging off their seatbelts while the cabin was filled with smoke. Fire fighters were quick to the scene with all the passengers evacuated before the flight was fully engulfed by fire.
Survivors recalled the panic and the horror inside the plane. Michael Turner was a survivor who remembered the crash landing: “We landed hard, and the next thing we knew we were turned over. People were screaming, and the cabin filled with smoke.” Sarah Patel was a survivor who complimented the flight staff on their response: “The flight staff kept us all together, got us out of the seats, and escorted us out of the wreckage.”
Airport President & CEO Deborah Flint praised the quick response of the emergency crews that resulted in all passengers being evacuated to a safe location.
A total of 21 passengers were taken to area hospitals with injuries that included back sprains and head injuries to symptoms of anxiety. Three passengers sustained serious injuries that were not life-threatening while the others were treated and then released. At the time of Wednesday morning, a single passenger was still hospitalized.
In an unprecedented act of generosity, Delta Airlines is giving each of the passengers a payment of $30,000. In a confirmation by a Delta spokesperson, the act is being made with “no strings attached” and is not a compromise of passengers’ legal rights.
Legal experts say that passengers should consult lawyers before they accept the payment because they could have other claims they can pursue. If all 76 passengers accept the deal, the payment by Delta will total about $2.3 million.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada with the assistance of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash. Reports indicate that the conditions were clear at the time of landing although 40 mph gusts were being experienced at the time of landing. Investigators are examining a number of factors that include
Possible mechanical failure or landing gear issue.
Pilot decision-making at approach and landing.
The retrieval and analysis of black box flight recorders.
Preliminary observations also revealed a “flat” landing that was out of the normal nose-up “flare,” possibly destabilizing the plane upon landing.
The incident resulted in a ground stop at the Toronto Pearson International Airport that was later reversed, with a number of flights being diverted to other airports. Normal flight schedule resumed later that evening, although minor delays were experienced while the authorities removed the wreckage.
Delta Air Lines Chief Executive Ed Bastian praised the flight’s training and quick response by stating that “Our flight crew’s professionalism and quick response ensured all passengers were evacuated successfully. We are fully cooperating with the authorities to find out the circumstances.”
Aviation experts have also noted that while the events are rare, they do signal the need to anticipate eventualities and the need to have the necessary aviation safety protocols. Flight recorders and the conversations of the pilot will also be assessed by the authorities to discover the real cause of the crash. Delta Air Lines pledged to fully assist the crash investigation team and the crash victims.
