A preliminary report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada indicates that the right main landing gear of Delta Flight 4819 failed, resulting in the aircraft inverting during a crash. Reports suggest the issue may have originated with the aircraft’s right main landing gear.

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada released its findings on March 20, 2024, describing the chain of events leading to the incident.

Report States Landing Gear Fractured, Leading to Chain of Events

In the report, the TSB outlined the rate of descent as the flight prepared for landing. The incident escalated upon touchdown, when the right main landing gear failed, ultimately causing the CRJ-900 to crash.

“The side-stay that is attached to the right MLG fractured, the landing gear folded into the retracted position, and the wing detached from the fuselage, releasing a cloud of jet fuel, which caught fire,” the report reveals. The investigation is ongoing to determine the exact sequence of these events.

When the aircraft finally stopped, all passengers managed to evacuate. Of those onboard, 21 suffered injuries, including two with serious injuries. The pilots needed to exit via the overhead emergency hatch as the cockpit door was inaccessible.

Firefighters only entered the aircraft after passenger evacuation, during which an explosion occurred near the left wing root. The cause of this explosion remains under investigation.

The board has stated that further inquiries will focus on multiple areas, including the metallurgical assessments of the wing structure and certification processes associated with the landing gear.

The TSB credits various partners, including the FAA and NTSB, for their assistance in the investigation.

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Feature image courtesy: Peel Regional Police via the Transportation Safety Board of Canada