TSB preliminary report cites ‘high rate of descent’ in Delta plane crash in Toronto

A preliminary report into a Delta Airlines plane crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport last month says the aircraft’s alert system indicated a high rate of descent less than three seconds before touchdown.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) released its report on Thursday as it continues to investigate the Feb. 17 crash landing that sent 21 people to hospital.

In its preliminary report, the TSB said when the plane’s ground proximity warning system sounded 2.6 seconds before touchdown, the airspeed was 136 knots, or approximately 250 kilometres per hour. 

“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,” the report states.

“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.”

The TSB also said the plane’s landing gear folded into the retracted position at touchdown and the wing detached from the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel, which caught fire as the plane slid along the runway.

“The exact sequence of these events is still to be determined by further examination of the fracture surfaces,” the report states.

“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 flight from Minneapolis, which was carrying 76 passengers and four crew, was attempting to land just after 2 p.m. on Feb. 17 when the aircraft impacted the runway and parts of the plane separated, notably a wing and the tail section, and caught fire. The plane burst into flames as it flipped over and skidded on the tarmac.

The TSB said the crew and passengers started evacuating the aircraft once the plane came to a stop.

Some of the passengers were injured when they unbuckled their seatbelts and fell to the ceiling.

“The aircraft came to rest inverted; as a result, passengers were hanging upside down in their seats, suspended by their safety belts, and many of the carry-on baggage and other items ended up on the aircraft ceiling. Some passengers had difficulty releasing the buckles on their safety belts due to being inverted. Some of the injuries sustained by the passengers occurred when they unbuckled their safety belts and fell to the ceiling,” the report states.

“The TSB is not aware of any safety belt or seat failures occurring during the accident.”

According to the report, since the cockpit door was jammed shut, the pilots had to escape through the emergency hatch on cockpit’s ceiling after everyone else on board had evacuated.

After passengers and crew exited the plane, emergency response personnel then went into the fuselage, and shortly after, an explosion occurred outside the plane in the left wing root area.

“The cause of this explosion has yet to be determined,” the report states.

The TSB also released a video that provides an update on the investigation and the facts gathered thus far.

The 21 occupants who were injured during the crash have since been released from hospital.

“For everyone at Endeavor Air and Delta, nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and our people. That’s why we remain fully engaged as participants in the investigation led by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. Out of respect for the integrity of this work that will continue through their final report, Endeavor Air and Delta will refrain from comment,” Delta Airlines said in a statement to CityNews.

The TSB had said Thursday’s report would contain preliminary factual information, intended to provide information on the progress of the investigation.

“It is important to note that at this stage in the investigation, it is too early to draw conclusions as to the causes of this accident based on this information,” the TSB told CityNews.

At least two lawsuits have been filed in the United States and a law firm in Canada has said that it’s been retained by several passengers.

Delta has offered US$30,000 in compensation to passengers who were on the plane, saying the money “has no strings attached and does not affect rights.”

With files from Patricia D’Cunha and John Marchesan, CityNews