By The Express Tribune. The upside-down crash of a Delta flight in Toronto has sparked intense scrutiny and debate, particularly surrounding the pilot’s identity and the role of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in aviation.
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.
(Read more from “Delta Upside-Down Plane Crash Allegedly Involved All-Female Crew” HERE)
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UPDATED: Delta Finally Releases Information About Pilot, First-Officer
By Riley Moser. Delta Air Lines has revealed information about the crew on board a flight from Minneapolis that crashed and flipped upside down at Toronto Pearson International Airport on Monday.
Officials say the captain was hired by Mesaba Airlines in October 2007, which merged with Pinnacle Airlines in 2012 to form Endeavor Air, a subsidiary of Delta that operated the flight to Toronto. Additionally, he has served as an active duty captain and in pilot training and flight safety capacities.
CBS News learned the first officer graduated from a university with an accredited and well-respected aviation program, and so was able to start working with fewer than 1,500 hours under a Restricted Air Transport Pilot certificate. She crossed the 1,500-hour mark and earned her full ATP certificate in January 2023, which is the highest-level pilot certification in the U.S., before completing training last April, and has been flying for Endeavor since then.
Delta says her flight experience “exceeded the minimum requirements” set by federal regulations.
She passed all of her check rides and there were “no red flags” about her pilot skills, a source familiar told CBS News. (Read more about the crew involved in the Delta plane crash HERE)
