Delta upside-down plane crash allegedly involved all-female crew
The incident occurred on Monday at Toronto Pearson International Airport when a Delta-operated Bombardier CRJ900 aircraft flipped upside down during its landing attempt, injuring 21 people. The flight, operated by Endeavor Air, a regional airline affiliated with Delta, was traveling from Minneapolis-St. Paul and had 80 people on board, including crew members.
Following the impact, parts of the aircraft separated, and a fire ensued, according to Canadian investigators. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is leading the inquiry into the crash, with assistance from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Initial reports indicate that weather conditions, including gusting crosswinds and blowing snow, were present at the time of the crash.
However, the lack of the usual 'flare' maneuver—where pilots pull the nose of the plane up just before touchdown to slow the aircraft and ensure a smoother landing—has raised questions among aviation experts about potential issues with the pilot's actions during the descent.
❗️ It's interesting how Delta hasn't released even a SLIVER of information on the pilots in yesterday's crash 🤔
What's going on, @Delta?
Who was flying the plane? pic.twitter.com/LS59w1Wfgf
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) February 18, 2025
This crash is part of a series of recent aviation tragedies, including the January 29 collision over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which killed 67 people, as well as a medevac crash in Philadelphia that claimed seven lives. President Donald Trump, during a January 30 briefing about the American Airlines collision, described the incident as a "real tragedy" and suggested that government DEI policies and employee mental health were factors contributing to the crashes.
In addition to the technical details of the Delta crash, online speculation has turned toward the identity of the pilot and the potential influence of DEI hiring practices. Endeavor Air has publicly promoted the use of all-female 'unmanned' flights, with TikTok videos from the airline showcasing its commitment to diversity in the cockpit.
The plane that crashed in Toronto was a Delta flight operated by Endeavor Air, a small airline obsessed with all-female "unmanned" flights pic.twitter.com/pYMS3kdpQy — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) February 19, 2025
This has led some social media users to question whether the pilot involved in the crash was hired as part of Delta's broader push to diversify its workforce. The term 'DEI hire' has been used by some to imply that individuals might be hired based on diversity quotas, rather than solely on their qualifications and experience.
The pinned video on Delta's TikTok account: pic.twitter.com/leDMlhtAq3 — Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) February 18, 2025
Delta Airlines responded to the incident by reassuring the public that safety is its top priority. The airline reported that 19 of the 21 passengers who were taken to local hospitals following the crash have since been released and are recovering from their injuries. The two remaining hospitalized passengers are in stable condition, and none of the injuries are considered life-threatening.
As the investigation into Flight 4819 continues, the questions surrounding the pilot's background and the impact of DEI initiatives on aviation safety are likely to remain a point of contention.
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Air India Dreamliner crashes into Ahmedabad college hostel, kills over 290
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Business Recorder
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More than 200 killed as Air India plane crashes after take-off in Ahmedabad
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Business Recorder
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All 242 people on board Air India plane have died, Indian Express reports
AHMEDABAD: All 242 people on board the Air India plane that crashed on Thursday in Ahmedabad have died, local newspaper Indian Express said, citing police. The plane was headed for Gatwick Airport, south of the British capital, Air India said, while police officers said it crashed in a residential area near the airport. More than 100 bodies, most of them badly charred, had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsy, police said had said earlier. 'The building on which it has crashed is a doctors' hostel… we have cleared almost 70% to 80% of the area and will clear the rest soon,' a senior police officer told reporters. Parts of the plane's body were scattered around the building into which it crashed, photographs and videos from the area showed. The tail of the plane was stuck on top of the building. India's CNN News-18 TV channels said the plane crashed on top of the dining area of state-run B.J. Medical College hostel, killing many medical students as well. 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One channel showed the plane taking off over a residential area and then disappearing from the screen before a huge jet of fire can be seen rising into the sky from beyond the houses. Visuals also showed debris on fire, with thick black smoke rising up into the sky near the airport. They also showed people being moved in stretchers and being taken away in ambulances. 'My sister-in-law was going to London. Within an hour, I got news that the plane had crashed,' Poonam Patel, a relative of one of the passengers, told news agency ANI at the government hospital in Ahmedabad. Ramila, the mother of a student at the medical college, told ANI her son had gone to the hostel for his lunch break when the plane crashed. 'My son is safe, and I have spoken to him. He jumped from the second floor, so he suffered some injuries,' she said. 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Britain was working with Indian authorities to urgently establish the facts around the crash and to provide support to those involved, the country's foreign office said in a statement posted on its website. 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. 'It is heartbreaking beyond words.' British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said images emerging of the crash were 'devastating', and that he was being kept informed as the situation developed. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said King Charles was also being kept updated. Modi's home state The Indian aviation minister's office said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had directed it to ensure all support was extended to the rescue efforts immediately. Ahmedabad is the main city in Modi's home state of Gujarat. Ahmedabad Airport, which suspended all flight operations after the crash, said it was operational again but with limited flights. The airport is operated by India's Adani Group conglomerate. 'We are shocked and deeply saddened by the tragedy of Air India Flight 171,' Gautam Adani, founder and chairman of the group, posted on X. 'Our hearts go out to the families who have suffered an unimaginable loss. We are working closely with all authorities and extending full support to the families on the ground,' he said. The last fatal plane crash in India was in 2020 and involved Air India Express, the airline's low-cost arm. The airline's Boeing-737 overshot a 'table-top' runway at Kozhikode International Airport in southern India. The plane skidded off the runway, plunging into a valley and crashing nose-first into the ground. Twenty-one people were killed in that crash. The formerly state-owned Air India was taken over by Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022, and merged with Vistara – a joint venture between the group and Singapore Airlines – in 2024.
