DELTA 4819 CRJ-900 CRASH IN TORONTO, CANADA CYYZ - CROSS WIND GUST

 UPDATED Mar, 22 2025

PRELIMINARY REPORT

Source:

Transportation Safety Board of Canada

Air Transportation Safety Investigation A25O0021:

Preliminary Report (released 20 March 2025).

Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th floor Gatineau QC K1A 1K8 819-994-3741; 1-800-387-3557 www.tsb.gc.ca communications@tsb.gc.ca

 

 The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB)

 On 17 February 2025

 

CL-600-2D24 aircraft (CRJ-900LR) (registration N932XJ, serial number 15194) was operating as Endeavor Air flight EDV4819 from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain Airport (KMSP), Minnesota, United States, to Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport (CYYZ), Ontario.

 

 During the landing on Runway 23, the aircraft impacted the runway, the right wing detached, and a fire ensued. The aircraft overturned and slid down the runway inverted, coming to rest near the intersection of Runway 23 and Runway 15L. Aircraft rescue and firefighting responded, and all passengers and crew evacuated.

All times are Eastern Standard Time (Coordinated Universal Time minus 5 hours).

 

At 12:47 (EST)[ 07:47 UTC]

Flight EDV4819, IFR [Instrument Flight Rules]

FROM: Departed (KMSP) Minneapolis-St. Paul International/World-Chamberlain Airport Minnesota, United States,

TO: (CYYZ), Toronto/Lester B. Pearson International Airport Ontario, Canada

 

POB: 2 flight crew members, 2 cabin crew members, and 76 passengers on board.

The captain was seated in the left seat and was the pilot-monitoring [PIC] for the flight. The first-officer was seated in the right seat and was the pilot-flying (PF).

The crew received clearance for the instrument landing system approach to Runway 23 at CYYZ.

Weather

The aerodrome routine meteorological report for CYYZ issued at 1400 indicated the following:

• Winds from 270° true (T) at 28 knots, gusting to 35 knots

• Visibility 6 statute miles (SM) in blowing snow

• Runway visual range for Runway 24L variable between 3000 feet and more than 6000 feet with an upward trend

• Broken ceiling at 3400 feet AGL

• Temperature −9 °C and dew point −14 °C

• Altimeter setting 29.93 inches of mercury

• Remarks indicated cumulus clouds at 6 oktas

 

14:12:01 (EST) [09:12:01 UTC]

The aircraft descended through 500 feet above ground level (AGL). The aircraft’s indicated airspeed was 150 knots, its ground speed was 121 knots, and the engine thrust was indicating approximately 64% N1.3 The rate of descent was 720 fpm, and the localizer and glide slope were centered. Five seconds later, the PF disconnected the autopilot.

 

Flight controls

The flaps and slats were fully deployed at the time of the occurrence. The flap jackscrew threads were measured to be 10 inches for both the left and right inboard flap actuators (4 locations), which corresponds to 45° of flaps. Based on measurements taken from the left slat, the slats were in a 25° position.

At the time of the occurrence, the aircraft was being operated within its allowable weight-and-balance limitations. The occurrence landing weight was approximately 73 000 pounds, and there was about 6000 pounds of fuel remaining at the time of landing.

At 1412:26, while the aircraft was descending through 175 feet AGL, its indicated airspeed was 144 knots, with a ground speed of 121 knots, and a rate of descent of 672 fpm. The thrust remained at approximately 64% N1.

At 1412:30, while the aircraft was descending through 153 feet AGL, its indicated airspeed increased to 154 knots whereas the ground speed did not change appreciably, consistent with a performance-increasing wind gust. The PF pulled back the thrust levers, and as a result, over the following 5 seconds, N1 decreased from 64% to approximately 43%, where it remained until touchdown. The airspeed began to decrease.

At 1412:40 (3.6 seconds before touchdown), when the aircraft was at a height of 50 feet AGL, the indicated airspeed was 145 knots, and the ground speed was 112 knots. The rate of descent had increased to 1114 fpm. The enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) aural alert “fifty” sounded to indicate the aircraft was at 50 feet AGL, which is a standard callout.

One second later (2.6 seconds before touchdown), the EGPWS alert “sink rate” sounded, indicating a high rate of descent. The aircraft’s indicated airspeed was 136 knots, its ground speed was 111 knots, and the rate of descent had remained at about 1100 fpm. The bank angle increased to a 4.7° right bank. The engine thrust was steady at approximately 43% N1.

At 1412:42 (1.6 seconds before touchdown), the aircraft’s indicated airspeed was 136 knots, and its ground speed was 111 knots. The aircraft was slightly below the glide slope, but on the visual segment of the approach and tracking the runway centreline. The rate of descent had increased to 1072 fpm, and the bank angle was 5.9° to the right.

Less than 1 second before touchdown, the aircraft’s indicated airspeed was 134 knots, and its ground speed was 111 knots. The bank angle was 7.1° to the right, and the pitch attitude was 1° nose up. The rate of descent was recorded as 1110 fpm.

At 1412:43.6, the right main landing gear (MLG) contacted the runway. The aircraft was in a 7.5° bank to the right with 1° of nose-up pitch and 3g vertical acceleration, at a rate of descent of approximately 1098 fpm (18.3 fps).

At touchdown, the following occurred: the side-stay that is attached to the right MLG fractured, 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. The exact sequence of these events is still to be determined by further examination of the fracture surfaces.

The aircraft then began to slide along the runway. The fuselage slid down Runway 23, rolling to the right until it became inverted. A large portion of the tail, including most of the vertical stabilizer and the entire horizontal stabilizer, became detached during the roll.

The aircraft went off the right side of the runway into the snow-covered grass area and came to a rest on Runway 15L, near the intersection with Runway 23, about 75 feet beyond the right edge of Runway 23 (Figure 1). The right wing, including the right MLG, became fully detached from the aircraft and slid approximately 215 feet further along Runway 23.

Once the aircraft came to a stop, an evacuation began. All occupants evacuated the aircraft. At the time of writing this preliminary report, it has been confirmed that 21 of the 80 occupants were injured; 2 of those occupants were reported to have serious injuries.

 

Company landing standard operating procedures

The flight operations manual indicates to initiate the flare between 30 and 20 feet AGL by increasing pitch attitude as needed to slow the descent rate while continuing to reduce thrust to idle. At 20 feet, back pressure on the control column is to be maintained as necessary to hold a constant pitch angle. In addition, the manual states that the pitch attitude at touchdown should be between 3° and 8°, depending on the landing reference speed (VREF) of the aircraft. If the pitch attitude exceeds 11°, there is a risk of a tail strike.5 Also, a hard landing is defined as “[a] landing at a vertical descent rate greater than 600 ft/min when the aircraft's gross weight is less than or equal to MLW [maximum landing weight].

 

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Crosswind Landing - DO NOT Change The Chosen Technique Till The FLARE

 

ENGLISH	PORTUGUÊS
APPROACH TECHNIQUES	TÉCNICAS DE APROXIMAÇÃO
A final approach in crosswind conditions may be conducted:	Uma aproximação final em condições de vento cruzado pode ser conduzida:
. With wings level (i.e., applying a drift correction to track the runway centerline); this type of approach usually is referred to as a crabbed approach; or	. Com asas niveladas (ou seja, aplicando uma correção de deriva para se alinhar ao eixo da pista); esse tipo de aproximação geralmente é referido como uma aproximação caranguejando; ou
. With a steady sideslip (i.e., with the fuselage aligned with the runway centerline, using a combination of into-wing aileron and opposite rudder [cross-controls] to correct the drift).	. Com um deslizamento lateral constante (ou seja, com a fuselagem alinhada com o eixo da pista, usando uma combinação de aileron do lado do vento e leme oposto [controles-cruzados] para corrigir a deriva).
FACTORS TO DECIDE WHICH ONE TO BE TAKEN	FATORES A DECIDIR QUAL A SER TOMADO
. Aircraft geometry (pitch-attitude limits and bank-angle limits, for preventing tail strike, engine contact or wingtip contact);	. Geometria da aeronave (limites de atitude de arfagem e limites de ângulo de inclinação das asas, para evitar colisão da cauda, do motor ou da ponta da asa);
. Aileron (roll) and rudder (yaw) authority; and,	. Autoridade de Aileron (rolagem lateral) e leme (guinada); e
. The magnitude of the crosswind component.	. A magnitude da componente do vento cruzado.

Effect of Wind on the Fuselage and Control Surfaces	Efeito do vento na fuselagem e nas superfícies de controle
As the aircraft touches down, the side force created by the crosswind striking the fuselage and control surfaces tends to make the aircraft skid sideways off the centerline.	À medida que a aeronave toca o solo, a força lateral, criada pelo vento cruzado atingindo a fuselagem e as superfícies de controle, tende a fazer a aeronave derrapar de lado para fora do eixo da pista.

FLARE TECHNIQUES	TÉCNICAS DE FLARE
When approaching the flare point with wings level and with a crab angle, as required for drift correction, one of the three techniques can be used:	Quando se aproximar do ponto de FLARE com asas niveladas e com um ângulo de caranguejamento, conforme necessário para correção de deriva, uma das três técnicas pode ser usada:
1st. Align the aircraft with the runway centerline, while preventing drift, by applying into-wind aileron and opposite rudder;	1ª. Alinhe a aeronave com o eixo da pista, enquanto evita a deriva, ao aplicar aileron do lado do vento e leme oposto;
2nd. Maintain the crab angle for drift correction until the main landing gear touch down; or,	2ª. Mantenha o ângulo de caranguejamento para correção de deriva até que o trem de pouso principal toque no solo; ou
3rd. Perform a partial decrab, using the cross-controls technique to track the runway centerline.	3ª. Desfaça parcialmente o ângulo de caranguejamento, utilizando a técnica de controles-cruzados para manter o eixo da pista.

Some AOMs and autopilot control requirements for AUTOLAND recommend beginning the ALIGNMENT PHASE well before the FLARE point (typically between 200 feet and 150 feet), which results in a steady-sideslip approach down to the FLARE.

Alguns AOMs* e requisitos de controle de piloto automático para AUTOLAND recomendar iniciar a FASE DE ALINHAMENTO bem antes do ponto FLARE (tipicamente entre 200 pés e 150 pés), o que resulta em uma abordagem de lado constante até o FLARE. AOMs* = Aircraft Operating Manuals

Engine Thrust Reverser Effect	Efeito do Reversor de Potência dos Motores
When selecting reverse thrust with some crab angle, the reverse thrust results in two force components:	Ao selecionar a potência reversa e com algum ângulo de caranguejamento, a potência reversa resulta em duas componentes de força:
1st. A stopping force aligned with the aircraft's direction of travel (runway centerline); and,	1ª. Uma força de parada alinhada com a direção do movimento da aeronave (eixo da pista); e
2nd. A side force, perpendicular to the runway centerline, which further increases the aircraft tendency to skid sideways.	2ª. Uma força lateral, perpendicular ao eixo da pista, o que aumenta ainda mais a tendência da aeronave em derrapar para o lado.
The thrust-reverser effect decreases with decreasing airspeed.	O efeito do reversor de potência diminui com a diminuição da velocidade do ar.
Rudder authority also decreases with decreasing airspeed and is reduced further by airflow disturbances created by the thrust reversers. Reduced rudder authority can cause directional-control problems.	A autoridade do leme também diminui com a diminuição da velocidade do ar e é reduzida ainda mais por distúrbios de fluxo de ar criados pelos reversores de potência. A autoridade reduzida do leme pode causar problemas de controle direcional.

Effect de Uneven Braking Forces on Main Landing Gear

Efeito de forças desiguais de frenagem no trem de pouso principal

Tire-cornering and Wheel-braking Forces

Forças de canto do pneu (movimento lateral perpendicular ao pneu) e de frenagem de rodas

Exemplos:

Um pouso com deslizamento lateral (ângulo de caranguejamento zero) requer um ângulo de inclinação lateral das asas de 3 graus no toque ao solo (ponto A). Um pouso com asas niveladas (sem caranguejamento) requer um ângulo de caranguejamento entre 4 graus e 5 graus no toque ao solo (ponto B).

Exemplos:

Um pouso com deslizamento lateral (ângulo de caranguejamento zero) requer um ângulo de inclinação lateral das asas de cerca de 9 graus no toque ao solo (ponto A).

Um pouso com asas niveladas (sem desfazer o ângulo de caranguejamento) requer um ângulo de caranguejamento de 13 graus no toque ao solo (ponto B). O ponto C representa um toque ao solo usando uma combinação de deslizamento lateral e ângulo de caranguejamento (cerca de 5 graus de ângulo de inclinação lateral das asas e cerca de 5 graus de ângulo de caranguejamento). O ponto D representa um pouso com deslizamento lateral constante conduzido com cerca de 4 nós acima de V_REF.

AÇÃO DE FRENAGEM RELATADA (ÍNDICE)

Nota 1: Pista seca, úmida ou molhada (menos de três milímetros [0,1 polegada] de água) sem risco de hidroplanagem.

Nota 2: Pista coberta com neve seca.

Nota 3: Pista coberta com lama.

Nota 4: Pista coberta com água parada, com risco de hidroplanagem, ou com lama.

Nota 5: Pista com alto risco de hidroplanagem.

Would There Be Any Justification For Trying To Land Through That Condition?

Limits for landing

One factor to consider when making a crosswind landing is the airplane's demonstrated crosswind capability, which is published in the pilots operating handbook (POH). Not a true "limitation" in the vein of VNE, for example, an airplane's demonstrated crosswind capability is the limit to which the manufacturer's test pilot flew the aircraft during the certification process. It is, however, a good, practical limit.	Um fator a considerer quando fazendo um pouso com vento cruzado é a capacidade de vendo cruzado do avião, a qual é publicada no Manual de Operação para Pilotos (POH). Não uma “limitação” verdadeira na veia de VNE, por exemplo, a capacidade de uma avião demonstrada para vento cruzado é o limite para o qual o piloto de teste do fabricante voou a aeronave durante o processo de certificação.  Ele é, todavia, um bom, limite prático.
To calculate a crosswind component, you must know the wind direction, speed, and runway heading. Using a crosswind component chart, follow the radial line that represents the angle between the wind direction and runway heading. Intersect the circular ring representing the wind speed, then follow a vertical line down to get the crosswind component.	Para calcular uma component de vento cruzado, você deve saber a direção do vento, velocidade e proa da pista de pouso. Usando uma carta de componente de vento cruzado, siga a linha radial que representa o ângulo entre a direção do vento e  a proa da pista de pouso. Intersecte  o arco representando a velocidade do vento, depois siga uma linha vertical para conseguir a componente de vento cruzado.
You should keep a crosswind component chart in the airplane or your flight bag, but if the chart isn't handy, here are some rough gauges. If the wind is 30 degrees off the nose, the crosswind component is half the total wind speed. If the wind is 50 degrees off, the crosswind component is roughly 75 percent of the wind speed. For 70 degrees, the crosswind component is about 90 percent of the wind speed.	Você deve manter uma carta de component de vento cruzado no avião ou na sua maleta de voo,  mas se a carta não estiver à mão, aqui estão algumas avaliações aproximadas. Se o vento estiver 30 graus laterais ao nariz [do avião], a componente de vento cruzado é metade do total da velocidade do vento. Se o vento estiver 50 graus laterais, a componente de vento cruzado é quase 75 por cento da velocidade do vento. Para 70 graus, a componente é cerca de 90 por cento da velocidade do mento

Esta é uma carta de componente de vento cruzado. Se você souber a velocidade do vento e seu ângulo em relação a pista de pouso, ela permite você determinar as componentes de vento de proa e vento cruzado para a pista que você está planejando usar.