The recent crash of a Delta Air Lines plane in Toronto marks the fourth significant aviation disaster in North America in the past month. Below is an overview of each of these tragic events.
Delta Air Lines Plane Flips During Landing in Toronto
On Monday, a Delta Air Lines plane arriving at Toronto’s Pearson Airport from Minneapolis flipped during its landing, injuring at least 17 people. The aircraft, a Mitsubishi CRJ-900LR, landed upside down on the snowy tarmac. Emergency responders were on site, and it was confirmed that all 80 passengers and crew members were accounted for.
Among the injured, one child was airlifted to SickKids Hospital, and two adults with critical injuries were transported to other hospitals in Toronto. Video footage from the scene showed the plane lying upside down, while emergency services worked to secure the aircraft.
The incident occurred amid challenging weather conditions, including blowing snow and winds gusting up to 40 mph (65 kph), with temperatures around -8.6°C. The Canadian Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, with the Federal Aviation Administration also involved in providing oversight.
Commuter Plane Crash in Alaska
A commuter plane en route to Nome, Alaska, tragically crashed on February 6, resulting in the deaths of all 10 people aboard. The Bering Air Cessna Caravan, a single-engine turboprop, disappeared about an hour after departing from Unalakleet. The aircraft’s wreckage was found the following day on the sea ice approximately 30 miles southeast of Nome.
At the time of the crash, the weather included light snow and fog, with temperatures around -8.3°C. The flight was part of a vital network used by locals in the remote and rugged Alaskan landscape to access essential services such as medical appointments and work-related travel.
The victims included a diverse group, such as workers travelling for a job related to a community’s water treatment plant, a retired teacher, and other individuals attending medical appointments. This tragedy underscores the reliance on small aircraft in rural Alaska, where few other transportation options exist.
Air Ambulance Crash in Philadelphia
On January 31, a medical transport jet crashed into a residential area in Philadelphia, killing seven people. The Learjet 55, which was carrying a child patient and her family, exploded in a massive fireball upon impact, destroying several homes in the vicinity.
The plane had taken off from Northeast Philadelphia Airport and descended rapidly before crashing just under a minute later, around 3 miles from the airport. Tragically, a father inside his car when the plane crashed was also killed in the incident. The aircraft was operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, which had been returning the child patient to Mexico after receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia.
The crash left 19 others injured, and the incident has drawn attention to the risks associated with medical air transport, particularly when operating in urban areas.
Helicopter and Plane Collision Near Washington, D.C.
On January 29, a midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Washington, D.C., resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. The crash occurred near Ronald Reagan National Airport, as the American Airlines flight, a regional jet coming from Wichita, Kansas, was preparing to land.
The collision, which involved a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter on a training mission, sent both aircraft into the icy waters of the Potomac River. Among the victims were members of the Skating Club of Boston, returning from a development camp after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, along with a group of hunters, students, parents, and two Chinese nationals.
This disaster marked the deadliest aviation accident in the United States since 2001 and has prompted discussions about airspace safety, particularly regarding the interaction between military and civilian aircraft in busy air corridors.