Delta flight which turned upside down on Toronto Airport had new co-pilot, former beauty pageant winner? Here's what we know so far

Toronto Pearson International Airport witnessed a shocking incident on Monday when a Delta Airlines flight crash-landed and flipped upside down on the runway. All 80 people on board, including crew members, survived. However, 21 passengers sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital. By Thursday morning, all had been discharged.

Delta Airlines has launched an investigation into the accident. Meanwhile, the airline announced a $30,000 compensation for each passenger. This raised speculation about whether the payout was an attempt to prevent lawsuits. However, reports confirmed that passengers could still take legal action even after accepting the compensation.

Social media has been flooded with speculation regarding the pilots involved in the crash. Many viral posts falsely claimed that all pilots were female, fueling a gender-based debate. Delta has not disclosed any information about the pilots’ identities, including their names or genders.

The Delta/Endeavor plane that crashed was piloted by Kendal Swanson.

A year ago, she was an instructor pilot for a small propellor aircraft. Recently licensed to co-pilot a small jet.

Captain, who had a questionable record himself, may have erred trusting her to land the… pic.twitter.com/d6chYkPRg6

— Houman David Hemmati, MD, PhD (@houmanhemmati) February 19, 2025

One name that surfaced online is Kendal Swanson, rumored to be one of the pilots. Unverified posts suggested she lacked experience for landing in snowy conditions, claiming she was an instructor for small aircraft just a year ago. 

Oh boy. The co-pilot who crash landed the Delta plane has been identified as Kendal Swanson, a beauty pageant winner out of Minnesota who was only recently licensed to fly this plane.  pic.twitter.com/BXNEpmCje4

— Shannon Hill (@ShannonMFHill) February 20, 2025

Others countered these claims, pointing out that the captain, whose name was reportedly James, was responsible for assigning the landing. A viral screenshot listed the flight crew as Pilot-in-Command James, First Officer Kendal, and flight attendants Hollie and Rebecca.

Delta Airlines has denied all claims regarding pilot inexperience, stating that all crew members on board were highly trained professionals. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine the exact cause of the accident.