A miraculous escape
The video footage from the incident shows the moment when the landing gear collapsed, causing the aircraft's fuselage to slam into the runway and turn over as it skidded to a stop. Fire was seen almost immediately from the landing gear and fuselage.
Weather conditions were not ideal during landing. It remains unclear whether speed of descent or malfunctioning landing gear caused problems once wheels touched down.
Investigation underway
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is conducting an investigation into this crash in Toronto. The NTSB is leading a team of U.S. investigators to assist under international protocols outlined by ICAO's Annex 13.
Investigators from Transport Canada, US National Transportation Safety Board, US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Endeavor Air, Delta Air Lines, and Mitsubishi Aircraft Corporation are part of this team. Mitsubishi purchased CRJ program from Bombardier in 2019.
Passengers' ordeal
All 76 passengers and four crew members survived; officials reported mostly minor physical injuries. Twenty-one people were taken to hospital for injuries; two were critically injured but have since been released.
Some passengers reported being covered in jet fuel or seeing it inside cabin. Paramedics treated multiple types of injuries including back sprains and head lacerations due to jet fuel fumes exposure.John Nelson said: "When we hit...It’s amazing that we’re still here."
Marthinus Lourens has filed suit against airline following significant injuries sustained during crash.He was suspended upside down drenched with jet fuel.Accordingly he might receive around $200000 if successful.Photo: Andy | Wikimedia Commons
Delta's response
Delta offered all passengers no-strings-attached payment $30000 regardless if they choose legal action.In response social media speculation about crew qualifications:
"Information about Endeavor Air 4819 flight crew
Endeavor Air and Delta are correcting disinformation in social media containing false and misleading assertions about the flight crew of Endeavor Air 4819.
Captain: Mesaba Airlines hired captain October2007.He served active duty Captain pilot training capacities.Assertions failed training events false.Assertions failed flow pilot position Delta Airlines due training failures false.First Officer:Hired January2024 completed training April.Flying experience exceeded minimum requirements set U.S.Federal regulations.Assertions failed training events false."
The captain had approximately eighteen years experience qualifying him train other pilots while co-pilot less than year since April completion.Both met minimum US Federal regulations raising eyebrows co-pilot short tenure however according Delta CEO Ed Bastian Reuters both should've handled tricky weather conditions:"There one level safety at Delta," Bastian told CBS Mornings.All pilots train these conditions.""This what train continuously."Even experienced make mistakes severe weather further analysis awaits more information true causes known.For more on Delta's statement learn article.Are there more plane crashes these days?It seems many recent actually fewer compared past CNN found January2025 lowest record eight prior low seventy January2012 data National Transportation Safety Board Flying safer driving exaggeration recent years steadily improving reality fewer fatalities scheduled commercial airliners last fifteen any other stretch