Preliminary report finds pilot actions may have contributed to Toronto plane crash

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has released its preliminary report on the February 17 crash of Endeavor Air Flight 4819 at Toronto Pearson International Airport. The report provides an initial analysis of the sequence of events leading to the crash and indicates that pilot actions may have contributed to the accident.

The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-900LR, was operating as a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport to Toronto Pearson International Airport. During its landing on Runway 23, the aircraft impacted the runway at a high descent rate, causing the right main landing gear to collapse. As a result, the right wing detached from the fuselage, spilling fuel and igniting a fire. The aircraft then overturned and came to rest near the intersection of Runway 23 and Runway 15L.

All 80 occupants, including 76 passengers and four crew members, evacuated the aircraft. Twenty-one people sustained injuries, including two who were seriously hurt, but all have since been released from the hospital.

The preliminary report suggests that the pilot flying made several key errors during the landing approach. One of the main issues was the reduction of engine thrust while descending through 153 feet above ground level. This caused the airspeed to drop, which likely contributed to the aircraft’s high descent rate. The report states that the enhanced ground proximity warning system issued a “sink rate” warning 2.6 seconds before touchdown, indicating the aircraft was descending too quickly. Despite this, the descent rate remained excessive, reaching approximately 1,098 feet per minute at impact—far beyond the structural limits of the landing gear.

Additionally, the aircraft was in a right bank of 7.5 degrees at touchdown, which may have placed further stress on the landing gear. The report also notes that the pitch angle at landing was just 1 degree nose-up, whereas the standard procedure calls for a pitch angle between 3 and 8 degrees. A higher nose-up attitude could have helped reduce the impact force.

The aircraft came to rest inverted, leaving passengers hanging upside down in their seats. Some had difficulty releasing their seat belts and were injured when they fell to the ceiling upon unbuckling. The cockpit door was jammed due to fuselage deformation, forcing the pilots to escape through an overhead hatch.

Emergency responders arrived within five minutes. Some passengers evacuating through the overwing exits were sprayed with fire retardant foam. The report also noted that an explosion occurred outside the aircraft after the evacuation, though the cause has yet to be determined.

The report also provides information on the pilots. The captain had been with Endeavor Air since October 2007 and had accumulated about 3,570 total flight hours, including 764 hours on the CRJ-900. He was also a simulator instructor. In the 30 days before the crash, he had flown only 3.5 hours. The first officer had joined the airline in January 2024 and had 1,422 total flight hours, with 418 hours on the CRJ-900. She was on the final day of a five-day work cycle, having flown 56.3 hours in the previous 30 days.

The TSB has identified several areas for further investigation, including the structural failure of the right main landing gear and wing, pilot landing techniques and training, the aircraft’s evacuation procedures and potential obstacles for passengers and crew, and the effectiveness of emergency response measures.

The investigation is being conducted with assistance from multiple agencies, including the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, Transport Canada, and Endeavor Air.

The TSB emphasized that its role is to improve aviation safety, not to assign blame or liability. A final report with conclusions and safety recommendations will be released once the full investigation is complete.