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Bayport Today
By the People, for the People
Dad Relives Terrifying Toronto Plane Crash That Left Him Injured
John Nelson, a 48-year-old from Minnesota, was on a Delta flight that crashed in Toronto in 2025, leaving him with lasting physical and mental trauma.
Published on Feb. 19, 2026
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One year after a terrifying plane crash in Toronto that left him with a torn retina, neck and disk injuries, and numbness in his fingers, John Nelson says the incident still 'replays in his head all the time.' The 48-year-old father of two was aboard a Delta flight in February 2025 when the plane crashed, flipping over and sliding down the runway. While all 76 passengers and 4 crew members survived, 21 were injured, with 2 sustaining serious injuries. Nelson says the crash has left him unable to travel by plane and has prescribed him multiple medications to deal with anxiety and focus issues.
Why it matters
The crash has had a profound impact on Nelson and his family, leaving him with lasting physical and mental trauma. It also raises questions about airline safety protocols and the need for improved training and procedures to prevent such incidents. The ongoing litigation against Delta and its subsidiary Endeavor Air highlights the legal and financial implications of such accidents.
The details
On February 17, 2025, Nelson was aboard Delta Air Lines flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, from Minneapolis to Toronto. As the plane made its descent, it impacted the runway, the right wing detached, and a fire ignited. The passenger jet then flipped over and slid down the runway upside down. Nelson sustained a torn retina, a floater in his eye, neck and disk injuries, and numbness in his fingers. The physical impacts left the former Iron Man athlete unable to train, while the mental impacts have led to sleepless nights and the need for multiple medications to deal with anxiety and focus issues.
- On February 17, 2025, Nelson was aboard the ill-fated Delta flight from Minneapolis to Toronto.
- One year after the crash, on February 17, 2026, Nelson continues to struggle with the physical and mental aftermath of the incident.
The players
John Nelson
A 48-year-old resident of Bayport, Minnesota who was a passenger on the Delta flight that crashed in Toronto in 2025, leaving him with lasting physical and mental trauma.
Delta Air Lines
The airline operating the flight that crashed in Toronto in 2025, which is facing ongoing litigation from passengers, including Nelson, over the incident.
Endeavor Air
The Delta subsidiary that operated the flight that crashed in Toronto in 2025, which is also facing ongoing litigation over the incident.
Erin Applebaum
The attorney representing Nelson and co-chair of the plaintiffs' executive committee for the Delta Flight 4819 case.
What they’re saying
“I called my daughter, and to this day, it's both a blessing and a curse for having called her. She was 15 at the time, she's now 16, and I think I both traumatized her and bonded with her for probably the rest of our lives.”
— John Nelson (PEOPLE)
“I can't get it out of my head. I want to focus at work and I can get dragged into this endless kind of death spiral thinking about it.”
— John Nelson (PEOPLE)
“They had given me a number of medications to help me relax and not panic. And the landings are just atrocious, they're horrible. All I can do is sit there and wring my hands and just try not to play it in my head.”
— John Nelson (PEOPLE)
What’s next
The ongoing litigation against Delta and Endeavor Air is currently in a 'holding pattern' as the parties wait for the Transportation Safety Board of Canada to determine the cause of the crash.
The takeaway
This incident highlights the lasting physical and mental trauma that can result from a traumatic plane crash, even when all passengers survive. It also underscores the need for airlines to prioritize safety protocols and procedures to prevent such accidents, as well as provide comprehensive support for affected passengers and their families in the aftermath.
