Pilot Actions May Have Contributed To Endeavor Air CRJ-900 Crash

Pilot actions, including an excessive rate of descent, may have contributed to the Feb. 17 crash of an Endeavor Air CRJ-900 at Toronto Pearson International Airport, according to a preliminary report by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada.

The TSB report noted that the aircraft descended too quickly, striking the runway and causing the right main landing gear to collapse. This led to the detachment of the right wing from the fuselage, spilling fuel and sparking a fire. The aircraft then overturned; however, there were no fatalities.

Investigators found the enhanced ground proximity warning system alerted with a "sink rate" warning 2.6 seconds before landing, signaling that the aircraft was descending too rapidly. The descent continued at an excessive rate, reaching around 1,098 feet per minute upon impact with a bank angle of about 7 degrees to the right.

Investigators found no evidence of preexisting issues with the flight controls.

In a video statement, TSB Chair Yoan Marier said, “Accidents and incidents rarely stem from a single cause. They’re often the result of multiple complex, interconnected factors, many extending beyond the aircraft and its operation to wider systemic issues.”

Regarding the crew, the first officer, who was the pilot flying during the incident, had joined Endeavor in January 2024, logging 1,422.3 hours of total flight time, with 418.7 hours on the CRJ-900. The captain, who had been with Endeavor since 2007, had accumulated 3,570 hours of flight time, including 764 hours on the aircraft type, and had flown 3.5 hours in the past 30 days.

TSB Canada said a final report is not expected for up to a year.