Delta Jet Flips Upside Down on Snowy Toronto Runway; All 80 Onboard Survive

A Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis, carrying 76 passengers and four crew members, experienced a dramatic incident while landing at Toronto’s Pearson Airport on Monday. Despite the jet flipping onto its roof during touchdown, all 80 people on board survived, with only minor injuries reported.

Incident Overview
Around 2:15 p.m., the flight attempted to land amid snowy conditions and winds gusting up to 40 mph (65 kph). Although communications between the control tower and the pilots were normal during the approach, something went unexpectedly wrong upon touchdown, causing the aircraft—a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR operated by Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor Air—to flip upside down on the runway.

Eyewitness Accounts
Passenger Peter Carlson, who was on his way to Toronto for a paramedics conference, described the landing as “very forceful.” He recalled, “All of a sudden, everything just kind of went sideways and then next thing I know, I’m upside down still strapped in.” Videos circulating on social media later showed the overturned aircraft with a largely intact fuselage, as firefighters worked to douse flames while passengers began exiting and making their way across the tarmac.

Emergency Response
Deborah Flint, CEO of Greater Toronto Airports Authority, expressed relief that “there was no loss of life and relatively minor injuries.” Emergency personnel reached the scene within minutes, and 18 passengers were transported to local hospitals. Ornge Air Ambulance also reported transporting one pediatric patient to Toronto’s SickKids hospital along with two injured adults to other local medical facilities. In the immediate aftermath, air traffic controllers communicated with a returning medical helicopter crew to coordinate rescue efforts.

Expert Analysis and Investigation
John Cox, CEO of aviation safety consulting firm Safety Operating Systems and a former U.S. Air Force pilot, noted that while the CRJ-900 is designed to handle adverse weather conditions, the occurrence of an aircraft ending up inverted is exceptionally rare. Cox raised questions about why the aircraft appeared to be missing its right wing—a factor that could contribute to an unbalanced roll and eventual flip. He emphasized that key elements such as the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder will be critical in uncovering the precise sequence of events.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has taken the lead on the investigation, with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board sending teams to assist.

Broader Context
This incident marks the fourth major aviation accident in North America within the past three weeks. Previous tragedies include a collision between a commercial jetliner and an Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on January 29, which resulted in 67 fatalities; a medical transport plane crash in Philadelphia on January 31 that claimed seven lives; and a fatal crash in Alaska on February 6 that killed 10 people. Notably, the last major accident at Pearson occurred on August 2, 2005, when an Airbus A340 skidded off the runway amid stormy weather—an incident in which all 309 people aboard survived.

Conclusion
Despite the severe weather conditions and the unexpected mechanical issues during landing, the swift actions of both the crew and emergency responders ensured that all passengers remained safe. Delta Air Lines and aviation authorities continue to investigate the incident, seeking to determine the exact causes and to implement measures that will further enhance safety in future operations.