Passengers Recall Terrifying Moments as Delta Flight Crash Lands in Toronto

A routine Delta flight turned into a nightmare when passengers found themselves hanging upside down after a fiery crash landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport.

Delta Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, was en route from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Monday, Feb. 17, when disaster struck during landing. The aircraft skidded off the runway, flipped, and caught fire, sending shockwaves through those onboard.

One of the 76 passengers, Peter Koukov, described the chaos. “At first, I didn’t even realize anything was wrong,” he told CNN. “Then suddenly, it felt like the plane turned sideways.” Moments later, he and his fellow travelers were suspended upside down in their seats, disoriented and panicked. “We were hanging like bats,” he said.

Despite the terrifying crash, all 80 people onboard—including four crew members—survived. According to Delta’s statement on X, 18 passengers sustained injuries and were transported to hospitals for treatment. The airline has not yet disclosed what caused the accident but emphasized that their main concern is the well-being of those affected.

Delta CEO Ed Bastian expressed his gratitude to first responders and airline staff, saying, “The hearts of the entire Delta family are with those impacted by today’s incident.”

Footage of the harrowing escape, shared by Koukov on Instagram, has since gone viral, amassing nearly 4 million likes. The video shows a flight attendant assisting passengers out of the overturned aircraft as firefighters douse the wreckage with white fire retardant. Despite instructions to leave personal belongings behind, some passengers were seen clutching bags and neck pillows.

“Being alive feels pretty cool today,” Koukov captioned the video.

Toronto’s Pearson International Airport temporarily suspended operations but resumed departures and arrivals by 5 p.m. local time. Deborah Flint, CEO of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, confirmed that two runways will remain closed for several days while investigators examine the scene.

Authorities are now working to determine what went wrong, but for those onboard, one thing is clear—they are lucky to be alive.