Delta Flight Catches Fire at Toronto Int'l Pearson Airport with 18 Injured

The Delta Air Lines plane from Minneapolis crash landed and ended up upside down. (Images of survivals sharing their experiences on social media)

A Delta Air Lines flight from Minneapolis experienced a catastrophic landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday, resulting in the aircraft flipping upside down and catching fire on the runway. Remarkably, all 80 passengers and crew members survived the incident. Eighteen individuals sustained injuries and were transported to local hospitals; as of Tuesday morning, all but two had been released.

The aircraft involved was a Bombardier CRJ900LR, operated by Delta's subsidiary Endeavor Air. Upon a hard landing, the plane's rear landing gear buckled, causing the right wing to shear off in a fireball. The jet skidded on its belly before flipping over, sending smoke and snow into the air.

Passenger John Nelson recounted the harrowing experience: "When we hit, it was just super hard. It hit the ground, and the plane went sideways. It's amazing that we're still here." Another passenger, Pete Koukov, described the aftermath: "We hit the ground, and we were sideways, and then we were upside down hanging like bats."

The incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. ET on Monday. Emergency responders swiftly arrived at the scene, and the airport temporarily suspended operations on two runways to facilitate the rescue and investigation efforts.

Weather conditions at the time included gusty winds and recent heavy snowfall, which may have contributed to the crash. An air traffic controller had informed the pilot of winds at 26 mph, gusting up to 38 mph, at a 40-degree angle to the runway.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is leading the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board. The runway where the crash occurred is expected to remain closed through at least Thursday evening as investigators work to determine the cause of the accident.

This incident adds to a series of aviation accidents in North America this year, including a regional airline crash in Alaska earlier this month that resulted in 10 fatalities and a midair collision near Washington, D.C., less than three weeks ago that claimed 67 lives.

O Ed Bastian expressed gratitude for the survival of all passengers and crew, stating, "The hearts of the entire global Delta family are with those affected by today's incident at Toronto-Pearson International Airport." Deborah Flint, president and CEO of Toronto Pearson International Airport, commended the "textbook response" of first responders in preventing loss of life.

As the investigation continues, authorities will examine factors such as aircraft maintenance records, pilot training, and weather conditions to determine the cause of this alarming incident.

This story is still developing, come back for more update.