This Monday bore the latest of a series of serious aviation failures, as Delta Airlines Flight 4819 flipped on its head after a failed landing at the Toronto Pearson International Airport.
The flight approached the runway around 3:00 p.m. local time after departing Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport and didn’t seem to have any problems while descending. However, it appears control was lost immediately upon landing as it would turn over and spit a massive fireball.
Fortunately, no one was killed.
Newly released audio from air traffic control has revealed that the pilots were informed of strong winds blowing up to 38 mph and a “slight bump.”
According to CNN, Toronto Pearson staff had worked overnight to clear approximately eight inches of snow that had covered the airport over the weekend. The runway appeared to still have lots of snow as the plane landed.
Expert Says Flight 4819 Was Built To Take Such A Hit
According to aviation analyst Peter Goelz, Flight 4819 was built to withstand such a landing. All 80 people aboard the Bombardier CRJ900 were accounted for after impact, with a swift evacuation conducted as it lay upside down.Goelz, a former National Transportation Safety Board managing director, told CNN the plane’s tail was designed to break off in case it flipped over.
“The airplane was designed to take a hit like this,” he said.
“Always keep your seat belt snugly fastened,” he added. “It will save your life.”
Goelz also lauded the flight crew’s efforts to remove the passengers from the aircraft after the crash, claiming that they had aced their test.
“People think that they’re just simply there to provide service, but the bulk of their training is an emergency service response, and this is the test, and they passed it with flying colors,” he remarked.
Canada’s Transport Safety Board is investigating the crash.
