Delta addresses ‘false and misleading assertions’ of Flight 4819 pilots
Delta releases info on pilots in Toronto crash
Delta Air Lines is addressing the rumors that the pilots involved in the Toronto crash were unqualified. FOX 9’s Bill Keller has more on the story.
(FOX 9) - Delta Air Lines is speaking out against internet rumors that the pilots of Flight 4819 were unqualified.
Pilots of Flight 4819
The backstory:
Delta Connection Flight 4819, from Minneapolis to Toronto, made a hard landing before it lost a wing, burst into flames and flipped onto its roof at Toronto’s airport. Although 21 people were injured, all 80 people on board survived the crash on Monday.
While the crash remains under investigation, Delta Air Lines released a statement Thursday night correcting what it calls "disinformation in social media containing false and misleading assertions about flight crew Endeavor Air 4189."
The first officer joined Endeavor Air in January 2024 and completed her training in April. "Assertions that she failed training events are false," Delta said, emphasizing that "her flight experience exceeded the minimum requirements set by the U.S. Federal regulations."
The captain was hired in October 2007 by Mesaba Airlines, a predecessor company of Endeavor Air. Over the years, he served as an active-duty captain and contributed to pilot training and flight safety, according to the release.
Delta refuted the claims that he failed training events or was unable to transition into a pilot position at Delta Air Lines due to training failures. The airline reiterated that both the captain and first officer were qualified and FAA-certified for their roles.
Passenger files lawsuit
Dig deeper:
Marthinus Lourens, who was a passenger on Delta Flight 4819 that crash-landed in Toronto on Monday, filed a lawsuit against the airline in federal court on Thursday. The lawsuit comes after Delta offered each of the 80 people on board a "no strings attached" $30,000 payout.
According to the lawsuit, Lourens, who was traveling for business, "suffered significant injuries to his head, neck, back, knees and face…." and was suspended upside down and "drenched with jet fuel."
The lawsuit also names flight operator Endeavor Air, a Minneapolis-based Delta subsidiary, as a defendant.