The crew received a “sink rate” call-out moments before landing.
Investigators inspecting the wreckage in a hangar. (Photo: TSB of Canada)
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released a preliminary report on the Feb. 17 crash of Endeavor Air flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The CRJ-900 aircraft, operating as a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis, crashed on landing, resulting in the right wing detaching and the aircraft overturning.
According to the Thursday report, the aircraft was on approach to Runway 23 in gusty wind conditions. At 50 feet above ground level, the aircraft’s rate of descent had increased to 1,114 feet per minute, triggering a “sink rate” warning.
This audible call-out, investigators stated, indicated a “high rate of descent.”
Just before touchdown, the aircraft had a 7.1-degree right bank angle and was descending at 1,110 feet per minute.
Interior of CRJ-900 after Toronto crash (Photo: TSB of Canada)
The right main landing gear made initial contact with the runway at a 7.5-degree right bank angle. This caused the landing gear side-stay to fracture, allowing the gear to collapse. The wing root then fractured and the wing separated, releasing fuel that ignited.
The aircraft slid inverted down the runway, losing its tail section before coming to rest near an intersecting runway. All 80 occupants evacuated, with 21 sustaining injuries, including two serious injuries.
Investigators stated that the flight crew had to evacuate through an overhead hatch, and some passengers experienced difficulties releasing their seatbelts while suspended upside down.
During the evacuation, some passengers were sprayed with foam from the airport firefighting (ARFF) vehicles. An off-duty pilot and flight attendant also assisted in the evacuation.
Endeavor Air CRJ-900 wreckage (Photo: TSB of Canada)
After airport firefighters entered the aircraft, an explosion occurred near the left wing root. Investigators said the cause of this explosion remains unknown.
The TSB’s report confirms Delta’s news release disputing “disinformation” regarding the crew’s qualifications. The captain, who had been with Endeavor Air since October 2007, had logged approximately 3,570 flight hours. Of these, 764 hours were on the CRJ.
The first officer, employed by Endeavor Air since January 2024, had accumulated a total of 1,422.3 flight hours, including 418.7 hours on the CRJ. She was the pilot flying at the time of the accident.
Both pilots were in compliance with company rest guidelines, with the captain having flown just three-and-a-half hours in the preceding 30 days and the first officer having flown 56.3 hours in the same period.
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