New Footage Shows Delta Air Lines Jet Flipping Over During Landing at Toronto Pearson Airport; All 80 Onboard Survive

Newly surfaced footage is shedding light on the dramatic moment a Delta Air Lines jet carrying 76 passengers and four crew members flipped onto its roof while attempting to land at Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday. Fortunately, all 80 people onboard survived the harrowing incident.

The flight, which had just arrived from Minneapolis, was attempting to land in the midst of strong winds and heavy snow, with gusts reaching up to 40 mph (65 kph). The accident occurred around 2:15 p.m., and though communications between the control tower and the pilot were reported to be normal during the approach, the plane unexpectedly veered off course.

Passenger Peter Carlson, who was heading to Toronto for a paramedics conference, recalled the terrifying moment when the landing became “very forceful.” He described how the aircraft suddenly lurched sideways before flipping completely upside down. “I’m upside down still strapped in,” Carlson shared with CBC News.

While the scene appeared chaotic, Canadian authorities reported that the injuries sustained by the passengers were relatively minor. Emergency responders arrived quickly on the scene, and video footage posted to social media depicted the overturned Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR aircraft, with its fuselage largely intact. Passengers were seen walking across the tarmac after safely evacuating the plane.

“We are very grateful there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries,” Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, said in a statement. Delta Airlines CEO Ed Bastian expressed his sympathy, adding, “The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by this incident.”

The crash is the latest in a series of major aviation accidents in North America in recent weeks, following deadly crashes in Washington, Philadelphia, and Alaska. This is also the first major crash at Toronto Pearson Airport since 2005.

Fire Chief Todd Aitken of Toronto Pearson confirmed that 18 passengers were taken to local hospitals, including one pediatric patient. Despite the snow and wind, the runway was reported to be dry, and there were no cross-wind conditions at the time. Authorities are continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.

At the time of the landing, Toronto Pearson was experiencing blowing snow and winds gusting between 32 mph (51 kph) and 40 mph (65 kph), with temperatures around 16.5°F (minus 8.6°C).

As the investigation continues, many are expressing relief that no lives were lost and that the majority of passengers sustained only minor injuries in what could have been a far more tragic event.