A Florida man narrowly escaped death after a Delta flight crashed into the airport runway, erupting into flames in an apocalyptic scene.
The aircraft was moving from Minneapolis, Minnesota. When it went up a few seconds after landing in Canada Toronto Pearson Airport on Monday.
Nate Richie was on a flight to Toronto from his home in southwestern Florida on a Delta Line DL4819.
“You start to think, 'This is that,'” Richie told Fox News Digital, sharing the moment when his life flashed right in front of his eyes. “You start thinking about your loved ones, my wife and children. And you just try to support yourself.”
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Passengers will evacuate Delta Air Lines planes after crashing into the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on February 17, 2025. (Nate Richie)
The aircraft carrying 76 passengers and four crew members hit a snowy runway upon landing, flipping upside down and setting fire. Ritchie, sitting in the window seat during the crash, recalls the horrifying moment after the shock.
“We started shaking and rolling,” Richie told Fox News Digital. “[There were] Explosion and fire on the other side of the plane as we started rolling, [with] Something flying in the air and a body shaking. ”
In the video footage, the aircraft slides down the ice runway as the right wing is torn apart and flames begin to emerge from the rear.
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Nate Richie will receive treatment after surviving a Delta Airlines crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on February 17, 2025. (Nate Richie)
Richie suddenly notices her seatbelt hanging upside down, hearing the screams of her fellow passengers as jet fuel poured over the window and black smoke rose from its tail.
Once the aircraft stopped, Richie fell out of her seat and began to help passengers find the closest exit in the mess. The plane took shelter on a snowy runway, and the terrifying passengers (many of whom didn't even have time to grab their court) were waiting for help in the frigid temperatures.
“It was frozen and absolutely frozen on that runway,” Richie said. “clearly, [we had] There is nothing to protect us. Our coat was overhead [bins] On the plane we were just exposed to cold weather. ”
Despite the freezing temperature, Richie has expressed his relief that he is alive and well despite the collision landing.
Firefighters pointed the passengers to the central meeting location, where they boarded the shuttle and were taken safely.
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Everyone on board survived. Twenty-one individuals were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and as of Wednesday morning, all but one person had been released. According to Delta.
Richie was rushed to the hospital after being discharged late that night with head and neck injuries. He then drives from Toronto to his wife, children and grandchildren in Florida, where he wants to begin the process of healing, both mentally and physically.
“Richie told Fox News Digital. “I'm mentally struggling. I'm not sleeping, I'm not eating. [It’s] There are so many emotions and I'm trying to unleash them. It's really hard right now. ”
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Delta Air Lines plane is seen upside down after crashing into the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on February 17, 2025. (Nate Richie)
Despite crash drops on several planes since its launch in 2025, officials argue that air travel is the safest mode of transport, and that the statistical possibility of crashing can't be calculated . National Council for Safety.
Federal Aviation Administration regulations require modern aircraft to be equipped with numerous safety features and technologies, including the “TCA” collision avoidance system, emergency beacons, and fire extinguishers for plane engines.
The retired US Navy pilot Amenkurds praised fuselage engineering, emergency lighting and construction of plane seats on Monday to keep passengers safe.
“Airline seats must meet the impact requirements defined by the FAA. This is primarily during a collision, when the impact of the passenger's head in the front seat is subject to a head trauma standard (HIC) value of 1,000 units. “The focus is to ensure that it does not exceed. Seat designs should minimize the risk of severe head injuries in crash scenarios,” Kurdian told Fox News Digital.
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After crashing into the runway at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada on February 17, 2025, the first responder will fly the plane over water. (Nate Richie)
Modern plane seats are designed to withstand 16 times the gravity, ensuring they will peel off the plane's body and hurt passengers.
“The last thing you want is the loose seat and the mishmash of the body and seat that bouncing back inside the torso,” Kurdian said.
The air safety update continues to be the main reason each passenger has left the crash on Monday, but Richie is celebrating his survival with the plane's seat belts and flight attendants.
“IIt felt like the stewardess did an amazing job of taking action, giving instructions and instructing people to leave the plane,” Richie told Fox News Digital.
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A Delta Air Lines plane sits on the roof after crashing when it landed at Toronto Pearson Airport in Toronto, Ontario on February 17, 2025. (AFP with Getty Images by Geoff Robins/AFP)
The Association of Hight Attuntants-CWA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
US Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy I said in a social media post Canada's Road Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash.
“I contacted my Canadian counterpart and provided support and support in the investigation,” tweeted Duffy.
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A Delta Air Lines plane heading from Minneapolis to Toronto crashed on February 17, 2025 at Pearson Airport in Toronto. (Notice of the Canadian press via Teresa Barbieri/AP)
Delta said its main focus was “care for those affected,” and CEO Ed Bastian has issued a statement extending sympathy for the victims.
“The hearts of the entire Global Delta family are with those affected by today's incident at Toronto Pearson International Airport,” Bastian's statement read in part. “I would like to thank so many Delta and Endeavor team members and the site's first responders.”
Monday's crash fall follows the start of this year's turbulent flow of air travel. Last month, an American Airlines flight collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter across the Potomac River in Washington, DC, killing all 67 people on two aircraft. A few days later, a medical transport helicopter crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood, killing all six passengers.
On Wednesday, Delta announced that each passenger involved in the Toronto crash will be offered $30,000 with “attached” payments “that will not affect their rights.”
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Despite the financial offer, Richie is grateful to be alive as she begins the healing process.
“Always hug your loved one,” Richie said. “I might never see them again.”
Andrea Margolis of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
