Investigation Summary
On February 17, 2025, the Bombardier CRJ900 was conducting an ILS approach to Runway 23 at Toronto in gusty wind conditions. The first officer was the pilot flying, while the captain, a simulator instructor who had logged only 3.5 flight hours in the previous 30 days, served as the pilot monitoring. During the final stages of the approach, the aircraft encountered a performance-increasing wind gust, leading the pilot to reduce thrust to approximately 43% N1. As the aircraft descended through 50 feet, the rate of descent increased significantly to over 1,100 feet per minute, triggering a 'sink rate' alert from the Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) just 2.6 seconds before touchdown. The aircraft struck the runway with a 7.5 degree right bank and a vertical acceleration of 3g. The impact exceeded the landing gear's design limit of 720 feet per minute. The resulting structural failure led to a fuel spill and a brief fire, while the fuselage overturned. Evacuation was complicated by the inverted position of the cabin, which left passengers suspended by their seatbelts and blocked the cockpit door, forcing the pilots to egress through a ceiling hatch. A repositioning crew on board assisted with the evacuation in the aft cabin.
Final Conclusions
The investigation by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) is ongoing. According to the TSB Preliminary Report (A25O0021) released on March 20, 2025, the aircraft experienced a descent rate of approximately 1,098 fpm at touchdown, which is significantly higher than the 720 fpm design limit for the landing gear shock struts. The right main landing gear side-stay fractured at the connection to the strut, leading to the gear collapse and subsequent wing detachment. The TSB is currently focusing on metallurgical examinations of the wing and gear structures, pilot training, and evacuation procedures in inverted cabin configurations.
Photographic Evidence (1)
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Pilot Monitoring. Had logged only 3.5 flight hours in the 30 days prior to the accident.
First Officer
Pilot Flying. Joined Endeavor in January 2024.
Systems & Failure Modes
Main Landing Gear (MLG) Side-Stay
A folding component that locks the landing gear in the extended position; the right side-stay fractured during the hard landing, allowing the gear to collapse.
EGPWS
The Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System issued a 'sink rate' alert 2.6 seconds before impact due to the excessive rate of descent.
Cockpit Escape Hatch
A secondary egress route located in the cockpit ceiling; it was used by the pilots because the main cockpit door was jammed by structural deformation.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was landing in gusty winds (28 knots gusting to 35 knots) and blowing snow.
- 02The descent rate at touchdown was approximately 1,098 feet per minute, exceeding the design limit of 720 feet per minute.
- 03The right wing detached from the fuselage during the accident sequence, causing a fuel spill and fire.
- 04The fuselage came to rest inverted, causing passengers to be suspended upside down by their seatbelts.
- 05The flight deck door was jammed by fuselage deformation and the flight attendant jump seat, requiring the pilots to evacuate through a ceiling hatch.
- 06Delta Air Lines offered 30,000 USD in compensation to each passenger following the accident.
- 07A repositioning Endeavor Air pilot and cabin crew member assisted with the evacuation in the aft of the cabin.
- 08An explosion of undetermined cause occurred near the left wing root after the aircraft had been evacuated.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Delta Passenger Compensation Offer
Source ↗Delta Air Lines offered US$ 30,000 in compensation to each passenger aboard the plane with 'no strings attached', stating it did not affect their future legal rights.
TSB Investigation Focus Areas
Source ↗The TSB identified several areas for safety review, including metallurgical examination of the wing, certification of landing gear, and evacuation procedures for inverted cabin configurations.
Known Controversies & Unanswered Questions
Social Media Misinformation Regarding Crew Training
Reference ↗Following the crash, social media claims suggested the pilots had failed training events or were unqualified. Delta and Endeavor Air issued a formal statement on February 20, 2025, refuting these claims and confirming both pilots were fully certified and exceeded federal experience requirements.