A Delta Air Lines flight crash-landed at Toronto Pearson airport, leaving all 80 passengers shaken but alive. The miraculous survival of everyone on board has been hailed as a textbook emergency response.
The Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis, which skidded along the runway with flames visible and came to a halt upside down, has left everyone on board shaken but alive.
The 16-year-old CRJ900 aircraft, made by Canada’s Bombardier company, was carrying 76 passengers and four crew members when it crash-landed at Toronto Pearson airport.
Air travel disruptions occur when flights are delayed, cancelled, or diverted due to various reasons such as weather conditions, 'air traffic control issues' , mechanical failures, or security concerns.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, in 2020, there were over 1 million flight delays and cancellations in the United States alone.
Airlines experience significant financial losses due to these disruptions, with estimated costs ranging from $10 billion to $20 billion annually.
Deborah Flint of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority praised the emergency personnel for their swift response, calling it ‘textbook.’
The rescue efforts ensured that no loss of life occurred, with 18 people injured but only a small number seriously hurt. Investigators are now looking into what caused the crash.
Survivors described being suspended upside down in their seats and having to release themselves before dropping onto the ceiling and clambering out onto the snow-covered tarmac. John Nelson told CNN that there was no indication of anything unusual before landing, but they skidded on their side and flipped over onto their back, with a big ‘fireball’ visible outside.
A miracle landing is a rare occurrence where an aircraft successfully lands despite severe weather conditions, mechanical failure, or other extraordinary circumstances.
In aviation history, several notable examples include the 'Miracle on the Hudson' (2009) and the 'Ditching of Flight 214' (2013).
These events demonstrate the skill and training of pilots in crisis situations.
According to data from the Aviation Safety Network, between 1940 and 2022, there were approximately 270 reported miracle landings worldwide.
This represents a small fraction of total flights, highlighting the exceptional nature of these events.
The US Federal Aviation Administration has confirmed that the plane was operated by Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor Air. The Canada Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is working to gather information and assess the occurrence.
The Canada Transportation Safety Board (TSB) is an independent agency responsible for investigating transportation accidents in Canada.
The TSB was established in 1989 to investigate civil aviation, marine, and rail accidents.
Its mandate is to identify causes of accidents and make recommendations to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The TSB investigates approximately 350-400 occurrences each year, including plane crashes, ship sinkings, and train derailments.
Two runways will remain closed for several days for investigation, causing some delays in flights into and out of Toronto Pearson.
Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken stated that there were no cross-wind conditions at the time of the crash, contradicting earlier reports of wind gusts of over 64km/h (40mph). The airport had been experiencing weather-related delays due to heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures.
The crash has left many passengers stranded in Toronto for days. James and Andrea Turner were in customs when they were suddenly told to evacuate, causing chaos at the departures hall. Some passengers are now stuck in Toronto due to scores of delays and cancellations to flights.
