On February 17, a Delta Airlines flight (Flight 4819) that was carrying 76 passengers and four crew members from Minneapolis to Toronto experienced a harrowing ordeal during its landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Despite a dramatic crash landing that saw the aircraft flip upside-down on the runway, all 80 people onboard ultimately survived. However, at least 18 individuals sustained injuries, and three have been reported as critically injured—a child, a woman in her 40s, and a man in his 60s. In this article, we take a deep dive into the events of that fateful day, recount eyewitness accounts, examine the emergency response, and discuss the broader implications for aviation safety and public trust.

I. The Incident: What Really Happened?

A Routine Flight Takes a Sudden Turn

John Nelson, one of the passengers onboard, recalls that what began as a typical flight from Minneapolis to Toronto quickly turned into a nightmare. “It was a typical flight,” Nelson said. “We were coming in for landing, and I did notice the winds were super gusty. The snow had blown over the runways, and it was obvious that conditions weren’t ideal.”

As the plane approached the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport, the challenging weather conditions became even more apparent. The gusty winds and partially snow-covered runway set the stage for what would soon unfold as a catastrophic landing.

The Moment of Impact

Shortly after the Delta flight touched down, the aircraft experienced a violent impact. Witnesses reported that the plane hit the runway hard, causing it to veer sharply to one side. “When we hit, it was super hard. The plane went sideways and I believe we skidded on our side and flipped over on our back,” recalled John Nelson. The sudden force of the impact was enough to completely invert the plane, leaving everyone onboard momentarily suspended upside down. This disorientation only added to the terror of the unfolding events.

Chaos and the Unmistakable Smell of Danger

Immediately following the crash, as the plane eventually came to a stop, passengers were left in a state of utter chaos. In the disoriented cabin, where gravity no longer behaved as expected, people struggled to find stability. Nelson described the scene: “We kind of let ourselves go and fell to hit the ceiling. It was a surreal feeling.” Amidst the confusion, Nelson noticed a terrifying sight: “I then saw a big fireball on the left side of the plane.” The presence of fire, combined with the overwhelming smell of jet fuel, underscored just how close the situation came to becoming even more disastrous. “We could smell jet fuel. Even now I smell like jet fuel,” he added.