Canada Global (Web News) A Delta Air Lines regional plane flipped upside down while landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday amid strong winds after a snowstorm, injuring 18 of the 80 people on board, officials confirmed.
Three passengers, including a child, suffered critical injuries, while 15 others were hospitalized. Some were later released, Delta reported.
The CRJ900, operated by Delta’s Endeavor Air, was a 16-year-old Bombardier aircraft. Video footage showed at least one wing detached. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Passenger John Nelson described the landing as routine until the plane suddenly flipped. “We hit the ground, were sideways, then upside down,” he told CNN.
Toronto Pearson Airport faced strong winds and freezing temperatures after a major snowstorm. FlightRadar24 reported gusty crosswinds at the time of landing, though the airport’s fire chief claimed there were no crosswind conditions—an assertion some pilots disputed.
Aviation experts noted that fluctuating wind gusts required constant adjustments by the crew. Investigators will examine why the right wing separated.
Despite the severity, all 80 passengers survived, highlighting advances in aircraft safety. Similar past incidents with MD-11 aircraft resulted in fatalities, including a 2009 Tokyo crash and a 1999 China Airlines accident.
