Latest news with #KenWebster
Forbes
20-03-2025
- General
- Forbes
Preliminary Report On Delta Plane Flip In Toronto Indicates High Wind Gusts And Rapid Descent
Canadian authorities released a preliminary report Thursday finding the crew of Delta Flight 4819 faced several challenges before the plane hard-landed and flipped on a Toronto runway last month, one of a string of recent high-profile aviation accidents that have led to increased public scrutiny on air travel. TSB of Canada senior investigator Ken Webster provided an update from the airfield days after the ... [+] crash. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released Thursday its preliminary report into the crash of Delta flight 4819, operated by regional carrier Endeavor Air, which flipped and caught fire at Toronto Pearson airport after a hard landing in gusty conditions on Feb. 17. The crash resulted in no fatalities among the 76 passengers and four crew members and, within three days after the crash, all 21 injured passengers initially transported to local hospitals had been released. The report details how the crew faced wind gusts up to 35 knots and landed hard without flaring the nose of the plane up to ease the landing. TSB said preliminary data from the flight data recorder showed the enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) sounded an alert 'sink rate' 2.6 seconds before touchdown, indicating a high rate of descent. Delta Air Lines has offered $30,000 to each passenger on board the Mitsubishi CRJ-900 regional jet, for a total of $2.3 million if everyone on board accepts the offer. Delta said in a statement it remains 'fully engaged as participants in the investigation' and will refrain from public comment 'out of respect for the integrity of this work that will continue.' The cause of the crash remains under investigation as Canadian authorities work to determine the exact sequence of events, with a final report not expected for up to a year. Until then, the cause of the crash is undetermined. TSB Chair Yoan Marier said accidents 'rarely stem from a single cause' and instead are often 'the result of multiple complex, interconnected factors.' The TSB's preliminary report details that the first officer was flying the plane at the time of landing and had worked with Endeavor Air, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, for a little more than a year. At the time of the crash, she had accumulated 1,422 hours of total flight time — just under a third of which were on the CRJ plane involved in the crash. Upon touchdown, 'the landing gear folded into the retracted position, the wing root fractured between the fuselage and the landing gear, and the wing detached from the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel, which caught fire,' according to the report. A brief video summary from the TSB released Thursday said further analysis would be done as authorities examine the certification of wing structure, hard landings and pilot training. 'It seems clear from the preliminary report that the first officer negligently piloted and slammed the plane into the ground at a high sink rate of over 1000 feet per minute and at a bank angle of 7.5 degrees to the right. This likely led to the collapse of the right main landing gear that we all saw on the video of the crash. Our client has suffered significant injuries because of Delta's negligence,' said Andres Pereira of Austin, Texas.-based DJC Law, which represents a passenger now suing the airline. The Montreal Convention 1999 (MC99) governs all international flights between countries that have signed the treaty, including the U.S. and Canada, and establishes airline liability in the case of death or injury to passengers. First Delta Crash Lawsuit Will Be Filed Today, Lawyer Says—After Airline Offers $30,000 To Passengers Over Plane Flip (Forbes)
Express Tribune
19-02-2025
- General
- Express Tribune
Investigators recover black boxes from Toronto plane crash site
Listen to article Investigators have recovered the black boxes from the Delta Air Lines flight that crashed during landing at Toronto Pearson Airport on February 18, 2025. The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been sent to a laboratory for analysis as authorities work to determine the cause of the crash that left 21 people injured. The plane, a Bombardier CRJ-900 operated by Endeavor Air, was on a flight from Minneapolis when it flipped over upon landing. The aircraft, carrying 80 people, skidded and caught fire after making impact with the runway, causing parts of the plane to separate. Authorities are also examining video footage and eyewitness reports, which suggest gusting winds and snow might have played a role in the incident. According to Ken Webster, senior investigator with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), it is too early to speculate on the exact cause of the crash. "At this point, we are still gathering evidence and will share updates as soon as possible," he said in a statement. The investigation is being supported by teams from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Transport Canada, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as well as Delta's own technical experts. In addition to the black boxes, investigators are reviewing the weather conditions at the time of the crash. The incident occurred amid blowing snow and gusting winds up to 65 km/h, leading aviation experts to question whether these conditions contributed to the rough landing. In the aftermath, local emergency services were praised for their swift response, with fire crews extinguishing flames within minutes and helping passengers evacuate. While most passengers suffered minor injuries, a few sustained more serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Airport operations have been disrupted due to the crash, with two of Pearson's main runways remaining closed. The airport advised travellers to check flight statuses before heading to the terminal. Several flights were cancelled, while others were delayed as investigations continue. Canadian and U.S. authorities, including Transport Minister Anita Anand and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, have offered their support to the investigation.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Canadian investigators recover black boxes from Toronto airport plane wreckage
Canadian investigators said on Tuesday they sent black boxes for lab analysis from a Delta Air Lines regional jet that flipped upside down upon landing in Toronto a day earlier, as they probe causes of the crash that injured 21 people. Advertisement Following initial impact on the runway at Toronto's Pearson Airport, parts of the CRJ900 aircraft separated and a fire ensued, Transportation Safety Board of Canada Senior Investigator Ken Webster said in a video. The team of over 20 Canadian investigators are leading the probe into the jet operated by Delta's Endeavor Air subsidiary and are getting assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board and regulators Transport Canada and the US Federal Aviation Administration. Webster echoed other aviation safety officials in saying it was too early to tell what happened to Flight 4819 from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, which had 80 people on board including crew. Passengers exiting the crashed jet on Monday. Photo: Peter Koukov via Reuters Air crashes are usually caused by multiple factors.
South China Morning Post
19-02-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Canadian investigators recover black boxes from Toronto plane wreckage
Published: 11:00am, 19 Feb 2025 Canadian investigators said on Tuesday they sent black boxes for lab analysis from a Delta Air Lines regional jet that flipped upside down upon landing in Toronto a day earlier, as they probe causes of the crash that injured 21 people. Following initial impact on the runway at Toronto's Pearson Airport, parts of the CRJ900 aircraft separated and a fire ensued, Transportation Safety Board of Canada Senior Investigator Ken Webster said in a video. The team of over 20 Canadian investigators are leading the probe into the jet operated by Delta's Endeavor Air subsidiary and are getting assistance from the US National Transportation Safety Board and regulators Transport Canada and the US Federal Aviation Administration. Webster echoed other aviation safety officials in saying it was too early to tell what happened to Flight 4819 from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, which had 80 people on board including crew. Passengers exiting the crashed jet on Monday. Photo: Peter Koukov via Reuters Air crashes are usually caused by multiple factors.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Canadian investigators find black boxes after Toronto plane crash, probe continues
(Reuters) - Canadian investigators said on Tuesday they recovered the so-called black boxes from a regional jet that flipped upside down upon landing in windy conditions a day earlier at Toronto's Pearson Airport, injuring 21 of the 80 people on board. Investigators from Canada's Transportation Safety Board are leading the probe to figure out why the CRJ900 aircraft operated by Delta Air Line's Endeavor Air subsidiary went belly up on Monday at Toronto's Pearson Airport, the country's largest airport. TSB senior investigator Ken Webster said in a video that the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were sent to the agency's lab for further analysis into what happened to Flight DL4819 from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to Toronto (Reporting By Allison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Leslie Adler)
