Delta Air Lines and its regional subsidiary Endeavor Air have defended two pilots against the spread of online disinformation after their experience was called into question on social media.
On February 20, 2025, Delta declared that it was “correcting disinformation” regarding two Endeavor Air pilots who were involved in a serious crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Canada.
The US-carrier said that social media posts have been spread “containing false and misleading assertions” about the relevant captain and first officer.
Posts seen by AeroTime suggested that one of the pilots had struggled through their training and was a “brand new” hire.
Delta detailed that the Endeavor Air captain was originally employed by Mesaba Airlines (which merged with Pinnacle Airlines in 2012 to form Endeavor Air) in October 2007.
Delta stated: “Assertions that he failed training events are false. Assertions that he failed to flow into a pilot position at Delta Air Lines due to training failures are also false.”
The airline explained that its employee served both as an active-duty captain as well as in pilot training and flight safety capacities.
Defending the first officer, Delta said that the individual became a pilot with Endeavor Air in January 2024 and that she completed her training three months later.
Delta said: “She has been flying for Endeavor since that time. Her flight experience exceeded the minimum requirements set by U.S. Federal regulations. Assertions that she failed training events are false.”
Delta added that both crew members are “qualified and FAA certified for their positions”.
The pilots were flying a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) on February 17, 2025.
As the Bombardier CRJ900, registered N932XJ, landed at YYZ, a serious incident occurred in which the aircraft briefly caught fire and ended upside down on the runway with the right wing severed.
All 76 passengers and four crew members were forced to undertake emergency evacuation from the aircraft.
5 comments
Your post is incorrect as ONLY the starboard wind became detached and the port wing remained intact to the fuselage.
Thank you for spotting. That has been corrected.
It took me 20 years and over 16000 flight hours spanning private corporate commuter and regional aircraft experience to get a job flying for a large airline..but today Im babysitting the exact bio she has after they pay 100K and get an absurd 1500 hrs of fluff time ..and then they can fly at a major airline..scary…worse they can and do bid Captain positions as most senior co pilots refuse to upgrade and get a terrible schedule due to worse seniority in seat.
When I retire im driving myself not stepping on planes with these kids who have no flying resume at all.
As a 30 year Airline pilot with 15 years in the left seats of 747’s despite assertions that minimum training standards were met, this means very little. There are times in a pilots career when challenges such as this are encountered and dealt with successfully or not. It cannot be disputed that an unusually hard landing caused destruction of the airframe. Analysis of DFDR data will reveal if lack of flare and a roll to the right were contributing factors caused by control error or other factors. Certainly DEI does not belong in any aviation endeavors.
Diversity is not a strength. Competency, experience, an ability to take instruction, and being able to get along well with others, on the other hand, are powerful strengths. Airlines such as United, who have publicly stated that their aim is a 50% DEI hire percentage, are setting themselves up for a massive discrimination lawsuit. Is that how airline HR people would hire a lawyer, a car mechanic, a doctor, etc. – based upon attributes that potential candidates cannot control about themselves? Or would they hire them based upon those attributes that they can control? Pilot hiring is no different!