At least eight people were injured when a Delta Air Lines airliner overturned upon landing at Pearson International Airport in Toronto, Canada, on February 17, 2025.
The accident occurred in high winds and extremely cold weather after a winter storm that brought more than 22 cm of snow over the weekend.
News Background
Pearson International Airport is Canada’s largest airport and one of the busiest in North America. Frequent severe weather conditions caused by snow and ice during the winter months can affect aircraft operations. In the past, on August 2, 2005, Air France Flight 358 failed to land in bad weather and overran the runway.
Against this background, airport authorities and airlines pay special attention to winter operations.
The Latest News
The accident occurred on Flight 4819, operated by Delta’s Endeavor Airlines from Minneapolis to Toronto, when the aircraft overturned on landing and came to a stop on the snow-covered runway in a fuselage landing.
Of the 80 passengers on board, eight were injured, one of whom is reported to be in critical condition. Following the accident, the airport suspended all departures and emergency response teams rushed to the scene. Toronto Pearson Airport was experiencing high winds and extremely cold weather at the time of the accident, and a weekend snow storm had accumulated more than 22 cm of snow.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has opened an investigation into the accident.
Data and Analysis
Historical data shows that accidents on runways remain common and are particularly likely to occur during inclement winter weather.
At Toronto Pearson Airport, another accident occurred in 2005 when an Air France passenger aircraft overran the runway in bad weather. Such accidents not only seriously affect the safety of passengers and crew, but also seriously disrupt airport operations. Therefore, airport authorities and airlines need to strengthen measures to ensure safety during winter operations, such as snow removal from runways and anti-icing measures for aircrafts.
Conclusion
The accident at Toronto Pearson International Airport has once again highlighted the impact of severe winter weather on aircraft operations. In order to protect the safety of passengers and crew, airport authorities and airlines must take further safety measures.
Delta plane flips upside down on landing at Toronto airport, injuring 18
