Pilots of a Delta flight that crashed spectacularly at Toronto’s Pearson Airport last month received a critical warning of a rapid descent less than three seconds before slamming onto the runway and flipping upside-down in a fiery wreck, new findings reveal.
The dramatic crash occurred Feb. 17 when Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 - operated by regional carrier Endeavor Air - made a catastrophic landing at Pearson after arriving from Minneapolis, according to a preliminary report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
All 76 passengers and four crew members managed to survive the terrifying incident, though 21 were injured and hospitalized. Miraculously, everyone was released within days.
Investigators revealed Wednesday that the plane’s ground proximity alert system sounded a frantic warning just 2.6 seconds before touchdown, registering an alarming descent rate of 1,100 feet per minute - above Transport Canada's maximum allowable rate of 1,000 feet per minute for commercial landings.
The aircraft was hurtling toward the runway at roughly 250 kilometers per hour (136 knots) just moments before disaster struck.
Upon impact, the plane’s landing gear collapsed, ripping off a wing and triggering a dangerous jet-fuel leak that instantly ignited, engulfing the craft in flames as it skidded violently down the runway. The plane then rolled sharply onto its right side and flipped upside-down, shearing off a significant portion of its tail.
“The flight crew had to exit through the emergency hatch located on the ceiling of the cockpit,” TSB lead investigator Ken Webster revealed in a chilling video update.
Seconds after emergency responders cleared the plane of all passengers, a powerful explosion erupted near the left wing. Investigators are still probing its mysterious cause.
Initial inspections uncovered no obvious mechanical defects or issues with flight controls. The TSB’s continuing investigation will focus on metallurgical analysis of the damaged wing, pilot training, landing protocols, cabin safety procedures, and passenger evacuation.
“This investigation will take some time, as many questions remain unanswered,” Webster admitted, adding "The TSB will continue to work toward determining the full sequence of events that led to the accident."
In response to the harrowing ordeal, Delta has offered survivors $30,000 each in “no strings attached” compensation. But the drama doesn’t stop there—at least two lawsuits have already been filed stateside, with a Canadian law firm reporting multiple passengers have hired them seeking further damages.
The TSB’s investigation—backed by the FAA, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Delta’s incident response team, and Mitsubishi (the aircraft’s manufacturer)—continues, promising more explosive revelations in the weeks to come.
Pilots of a Delta flight that crashed spectacularly at Toronto’s Pearson Airport last month received a critical warning of a rapid descent less than three seconds before slamming onto the runway and flipping upside-down in a fiery wreck, new findings reveal.
The dramatic crash occurred Feb. 17 when Delta Air Lines Flight 4819 – operated by regional carrier Endeavor Air – made a catastrophic landing at Pearson after arriving from Minneapolis, according to a preliminary report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).
All 76 passengers and four crew members managed to survive the terrifying incident, though 21 were injured and hospitalized. Miraculously, everyone was released within days.
Investigators revealed Wednesday that the plane’s ground proximity alert system sounded a frantic warning just 2.6 seconds before touchdown, registering an alarming descent rate of 1,100 feet per minute – above Transport Canada’s maximum allowable rate of 1,000 feet per minute for commercial landings.
The aircraft was hurtling toward the runway at roughly 250 kilometers per hour (136 knots) just moments before disaster struck.
Upon impact, the plane’s landing gear collapsed, ripping off a wing and triggering a dangerous jet-fuel leak that instantly ignited, engulfing the craft in flames as it skidded violently down the runway. The plane then rolled sharply onto its right side and flipped upside-down, shearing off a significant portion of its tail.
“The flight crew had to exit through the emergency hatch located on the ceiling of the cockpit,” TSB lead investigator Ken Webster revealed in a chilling video update.
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Seconds after emergency responders cleared the plane of all passengers, a powerful explosion erupted near the left wing. Investigators are still probing its mysterious cause.
Initial inspections uncovered no obvious mechanical defects or issues with flight controls. The TSB’s continuing investigation will focus on metallurgical analysis of the damaged wing, pilot training, landing protocols, cabin safety procedures, and passenger evacuation.
“This investigation will take some time, as many questions remain unanswered,” Webster admitted, adding “The TSB will continue to work toward determining the full sequence of events that led to the accident.”
In response to the harrowing ordeal, Delta has offered survivors $30,000 each in “no strings attached” compensation. But the drama doesn’t stop there—at least two lawsuits have already been filed stateside, with a Canadian law firm reporting multiple passengers have hired them seeking further damages.
The TSB’s investigation—backed by the FAA, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, Delta’s incident response team, and Mitsubishi (the aircraft’s manufacturer)—continues, promising more explosive revelations in the weeks to come.
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