Investigators are examining weather conditions and flight data after a Delta Airlines plane crashed and flipped at Toronto Pearson International Airport, officials said on Wednesday, as travel disruptions stretched into a third day.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) confirmed on Tuesday that it recovered the crashed plane’s black box containing cockpit voice recordings and flight data for analysis.
However, the TSB warned that it’s “too early” to determine what caused Monday’s fiery crash involving 80 people.
“We will share more information once we’re able to,” said TSB’s Ken Webster in a video update.
Flight DL 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, went off the runway around 2:30 pm EST on Monday after arriving from Minneapolis.
The CRJ 900 regional jet caught fire and landed upside down, forcing passengers to scramble through emergency exits amid heavy smoke.
Firefighters doused flames within minutes, and all 76 passengers and four crew escaped.
Twenty-one people were hospitalized with injuries ranging from back sprains to critical but non-life-threatening injuries.
According to Delta, by Wednesday, 20 had been released from the hospital.
Pearson CEO Deborah Flint pointed out the “extreme conditions” in the days before the crash, including two storms that dumped 50 centimetres of snow from Thursday to Sunday.
“It’s more snow than we received all last winter,” said Flint.
Though Monday was clear, gusts reached approximately 65 km per hour in Toronto.
Airport Fire Chief Todd Aitken said the runway was dry during the crash, but declined to comment on whether slush or snow played a role.
Flint refused to speculate, stressing the need to “let the investigation take its course.”
The wreckage remains on the runway, which officials expect to delay operations for another 48 hours.
Two runways stayed closed on Wednesday, contributing to cancellations affecting five percent of departures and six percent of arrivals among 950 scheduled flights.
Passengers faced ongoing disruptions as crews worked to clear debris.
Delta said it would take “weeks” to clean and return personal items left on the plane.
Flint commended the flight crew and emergency responders for preventing fatalities.
“They heroically led passengers to safety,” said Flint.
“When you see that aircraft, it makes me really thankful.”
Peel paramedics reported injuries included anxiety, nausea, and head trauma from fuel exposure.
Delta CEO Ed Bastian pledged support for affected travelers, saying, “Our hearts are with them.”
The TSB, assisted by U.S. agencies, will spend days examining the aircraft and runway.
Investigators have not provided a timeline for preliminary findings.
