What happened
On a scheduled flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport, an CRJ-900 departed from Runway 30R at 11:47 local time, bound for Toronto. The aircraft was operating as flight DL4819 with a total of 80 people on board, consisting of 76 passengers and a crew of four. After climbing to an altitude of 29,000 feet, the flight began its descent toward its destination.
During the approach, the aircraft encountered challenging weather conditions, including blowing snow, 6 miles of surface visibility, and significant winds from 270 degrees at 28 knots, with gusts reaching 35 knots. Upon making contact with the runway, the aircraft experienced a loss of control. The sequence of events led to the separation of the wings, the empennage, and both main landing gear. The aircraft eventually came to a stop in an inverted position.
All 80 occupants were successfully rescued from the wreckage. Among the group, 8 individuals sustained injuries, with 3 of those classified as serious.
Findings
- The aircraft encountered marginal weather conditions characterized by blowing snow and high wind gusts.
- The aircraft lost control immediately following touchdown on the runway.