Delta Reveals Details About Pilots In Crash, Corrects Misinformation

Delta Reveals Details About Pilots In Crash, Corrects Misinformation

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On Monday, we saw a Delta Connection CRJ-900 have a horrific accident in Toronto, whereby the plane lost a wing on landing, and ended up coming to a stop upside down. Amazingly, everyone onboard survived, and the last people have even been released from the hospital. What a miraculous outcome, given the state of the aircraft.

There has been endless speculation online about the pilots involved in the accident, and it hasn’t been without motive. Well, Delta has now set the record straight on some important points.

Delta provides details about pilots involved in crash

Delta has issued the following statement regarding the pilots involved in Monday’s crash:

Endeavor Air and Delta are correcting disinformation in social media containing false and misleading assertions about the flight crew of Endeavor Air 4819.

  • Captain: Mesaba Airlines, a progenitor company of Endeavor Air, hired the captain in October 2007. He has served both as an active duty Captain and in pilot training and flight safety capacities. 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.
  • First Officer: Hired in January 2024 by Endeavor Air and completed training in April. She has been flying for Endeavor Air since that time. As with any airline pilot, her flight experience mandated minimum requirements set by U.S. Federal regulations. Assertions that she failed training events are false.

Both crew members are qualified and FAA certified for their positions.

As you can see, the captain was pretty experienced, while the first officer was still fairly new. Keep in mind that we have the 1,500-hour rule in the United States for pilots, so even if someone is new to an airline, it doesn’t mean they’re new to flying.

For those who haven’t seen the misinformation, there have been all kinds of claims about the two pilots on social media. I won’t even repeat them or get into them, though I think the claims are somewhat obvious, based on what Delta is explaining is false.

Delta has set the record straight about pilots involved

Let investigators do their jobs, then draw conclusions

Honestly, it’s incredibly disheartening to see the way some people are acting toward the pilots following the crash. This really shouldn’t be that complicated — as of now, we know very little about the factors that contributed to the crash.

One of the reasons that aviation is so safe is because we have dedicated accident investigators who take their time learning as much about accidents as possible, and not rushing to conclusions. They then publish their reports, with the hope of improving aviation safety in the future. Their hard work has contributed to aviation being as safe as it is.

Unfortunately in this case, it seems that some people don’t want to let the process play out. Why? Well, I have to imagine it was because the first officer was a female, and there are a lot of people desperate to blame this accident on DEI.

This isn’t that complicated — let’s not speculate, let’s let investigators do their jobs, and then we can come to conclusions once all the facts are known.

What’s so disturbing is how information spreads on social media nowadays. People will make claims online, pass them off as fact (even when they’re false), and then they spread like wildfire, because they fit the narrative that some people want.

Then you have some media outlets that probably don’t have bad intentions, but also can’t say no to the clicks and traffic, so they jump on the bandwagon as well, with little skepticism into what’s being reported. Like, one of the people who has been most vocal about spreading details here is a former Delta pilot who was fired a while back, and has had an axe to grind with the airline ever since. You’d think you’d be a little critical about information that person is sharing, no?

Let me say this to all the folks with DEI pitchforks. If the investigation reveals that the crash was due to pilot error, and that the pilot only got her job or passed tests due to some “DEI metric,” I’ll be there right with you in saying that’s a problem. But as of now, we have no reason to believe that.

For that matter, if this does turn out to be pilot error, and if it turns out the female was flying, it’s also possible that it was simply a function of lack of experience, rather than DEI. Let me remind everyone that we’ve seen a lot of aviation disasters in the United States over the course of history, and a vast majority of accidents attributed to pilot error have involved white men.

Bottom line

Delta has corrected some misinformation that we’ve seen on social media, regarding the pilots involved in the recent Delta Connection CRJ-900 crash, operated by wholly owned subsidiary Endeavor Air. Some people were claiming that the pilots had failed all kinds of tests, and that the captain was even rejected in being promoted to Delta mainline, but the airline has clarified that this isn’t the case.

Folks, can we please just let investigators do their jobs, and then draw conclusions? Is waiting for all the details just that hard?

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  1. Larry Coryell Guest

    I have close friends who are airline pilots with several airlines. They routinely tell me that although women can be excellent pilots. Some of them have to take multiple. Check rides to finally become adequate. The cockpit environment is also different as more than a few of these women become frustrated (a female sphere response is usually much greater than the males fear response.).
    There have to be controls within the training unit of...

    I have close friends who are airline pilots with several airlines. They routinely tell me that although women can be excellent pilots. Some of them have to take multiple. Check rides to finally become adequate. The cockpit environment is also different as more than a few of these women become frustrated (a female sphere response is usually much greater than the males fear response.).
    There have to be controls within the training unit of each airline that recognize deficiencies and really truly correct them before people are allowed to fly passengers on the line.

  2. Owen lowak Guest

    Was the inexperienced copilot black?

  3. Will Mine Guest

    The first officer didn't have 1500 hours, she got hired with 1400 because of the rule that if you go to accredited university for aviation you can't get hired with less than 15:00 I'm dont know exactly how much less

  4. Vic Hardy Guest

    He appeared that she was behind the airplane, pilot talk for the situation getting quickly out of hand and things are happening too fast in the cockpit (I'm an ex-pilot). Descent rate way too fast and no flair, it looked like a carrier landing. I'm betting it was the 1st office with minimal experience got in over her head and the captain didn't react fast enough to take the controls and execute a go-around.

    I...

    He appeared that she was behind the airplane, pilot talk for the situation getting quickly out of hand and things are happening too fast in the cockpit (I'm an ex-pilot). Descent rate way too fast and no flair, it looked like a carrier landing. I'm betting it was the 1st office with minimal experience got in over her head and the captain didn't react fast enough to take the controls and execute a go-around.

    I doubt seriously that either one will ever fly for Delta (or any other airline) again, and that's how it should be. However it does go to the standards set by Delta and how instructors will grade and fail a pilot that looks marginal. It reminds me of the Kara Hultgreen saga (1994 I think) of a young F-14 pilot that was allowed to pass through training with 4 "downs" that would have washed out a male pilot. She stalled her jet during a carrier landing on a sunny day in San Diego bay. She died and the flight officer was lucky to eject as the plane started to roll toward the water.

    This pilot is lucky to be alive along with a lot of passengers that will never fly Delta again.

  5. DD-B Guest

    Hearing the tower say something to the effect of " be aware there may be a BUMP..." Too close to the last A/C that took off ? Cross wind vortices ? idk... something was there either because of the previous or also experienced by the previous A/C perhaps...

    1500 hours and then you build on it... that is why having EXPERIENCED PILOTS is how it all works. You don't get experience by not flying....

    Hearing the tower say something to the effect of " be aware there may be a BUMP..." Too close to the last A/C that took off ? Cross wind vortices ? idk... something was there either because of the previous or also experienced by the previous A/C perhaps...

    1500 hours and then you build on it... that is why having EXPERIENCED PILOTS is how it all works. You don't get experience by not flying. I have read 100s of NTSB reports and they were all with MALE pilots , so just shut that down please. Best to all... the good news 100% survived.

  6. BigB Guest

    What I saw. A faster than normal approach because of cross wind. A higher than normal 1,100 ft per minute decent rate!!! No flair attempt before touch down. Obviously this is not normal procedure. I hope it’s a mechanical problem but I doubt it. Pilot error

    1. Sally Guest

      I tend to agree with your accessmemt of a hard landing. Statistically speaking, drawing from a smaller, female only pilot pool Endeavor is going to hire less qualified applicants. There just aren't that many women in aviation to pick from. It's a FACT!

  7. J Reilly Guest

    Kind of a dumb thing to say that most accident/incidents have been white males in a profession that up until quite recently has been dominated by white males. It would be a legit statement if the current mixture of those flying commercial aircraft had always represented the general population but that just hasn’t always been true. So maybe think about the point of your message before proclaiming a fact.

  8. Bob Guest

    Article states captain = male, first officer = female.

    What the article failed to mention WHO was landing the plane! Don't assume that it was the captain as roles and responsibilities often change...of the first officer would never get the "experience" that she so desperately needs!

  9. Tron Guest

    While I agree that speculation is detrimental to the investigative process, it is nevertheless fallacious to imply that 1500 hours of flight time equates to relevant experience or even aptitude. Moreover, the 1500 hour rule has waivers, meaning a graduate of a collegiate-level flight program, for example, may apply for a restricted ATP at 1000 hours and is thus available for hire. The difference is made up aboard airline operations. For perspective, a 1000 hour...

    While I agree that speculation is detrimental to the investigative process, it is nevertheless fallacious to imply that 1500 hours of flight time equates to relevant experience or even aptitude. Moreover, the 1500 hour rule has waivers, meaning a graduate of a collegiate-level flight program, for example, may apply for a restricted ATP at 1000 hours and is thus available for hire. The difference is made up aboard airline operations. For perspective, a 1000 hour pilot flying for an Alaskan Part 135 under hard IFR, 10 hours a day, in and out of less than hospitable ground conditions is going to accrue flight experience far superior (and relevant to airline operations) than a 1000 hour pilot performing stalls and steep turns with an initial student in ideal conditions within the parameters of a syllabus. Most regional pilots are hired from the ranks of the CFI world – that’s just how it is in a part of the industry fraught with shortage. We can only hope that they possess both the necessary flight aptitude and personal constitution to accept the hard critique required to advance as aviators. But to assume 1500 hours implies a flat experience gradient doesn’t invite the academic growth necessary to entertain the discussion. Moreover, the terms certificated, qualified, and competent all exist independent to one another, thus one doesn’t necessarily lock-step with another.

    1. Peter Guest

      With no names, you wonder what they are hiding

    2. Dusty Guest

      Why would anyone publish the pilots names when there's so many pricks who would love to look these people up and harass them?

  10. Stefan Guest

    Both Ed Bastian and Delta were woke even before it became fashionable. I bet the truth is somewhere between these lines and will eventually come out in the NTSB/TSB report.

    He is skating around important details here. Just saying "it's false" isn't enough because he isn't exactly providing "the truth" either.

  11. EB Guest

    "Honestly, it’s incredibly disheartening to see the way some people are acting toward the pilots following the crash"

    So weird when white people discover and can't comprehend that other white people haaaate non-white people (and that men hate women).

    1. DeJasper Probincrux, III Guest

      This is just baiting. Hate, as you put it, is a cyclical emotion that cannot exist in a vacuum. Supremacy is an ideology subscribed to by men and women alike, transcending every racial boundary and spanning the known history of man. Notwithstanding, the argument is irrelevant in every theater outside of political grandstanding- the lowest form of wit.

      Instead, you need to challenge the competencies of those charged with operating a pressurized, composite tube in...

      This is just baiting. Hate, as you put it, is a cyclical emotion that cannot exist in a vacuum. Supremacy is an ideology subscribed to by men and women alike, transcending every racial boundary and spanning the known history of man. Notwithstanding, the argument is irrelevant in every theater outside of political grandstanding- the lowest form of wit.

      Instead, you need to challenge the competencies of those charged with operating a pressurized, composite tube in a rarified atmosphere – miles above the ground at 70% the speed of sound. Because it’s the level of competency (not race or gender) up front that is going to determine the probability of your survival when challenges present themselves. Not everyone who wants to be a pilot should be a pilot and not every pilot will rise to the professional standards of an airman.

  12. John Guest

    Watch the video. Pilot error. She slammed into the runway. Wow. How could a pilot just slam a plane into the runway. How drunk was she?

  13. Tom Guest

    To be fair, a huge chunk of active pilots for the major airlines in the US *are* DEI hires - they're veterans of the US armed forces.

    1. Chris_ Diamond

      This is a good point: equity and inclusion efforts absolutely consider veteran hiring, as well as consideration of the mental health of men (and all).

    2. Billy Guest

      Not really. Veteran status implies the potential for enhanced qualifying factors/experience which will benefit the job at hand (i.e., veteran who flew global sorties aboard a C-17 now applies for civilian flight position). Race or gender has zero qualifying merit and should never be a consideration in a safety sensitive field and is an affront to EEO standards.

  14. Scott Guest

    We just need to keep experienced pilots at the regional airlines longer at full airline pay so they can be paired up with the younger pilots to mentor and pass on the experience that can only be gained by flying many thousands of hours- every pilot in history was new and inexperienced- I would be shocked if delta ever lowered qualifications to bring in female pilots-when I see a female pilot I know they have...

    We just need to keep experienced pilots at the regional airlines longer at full airline pay so they can be paired up with the younger pilots to mentor and pass on the experience that can only be gained by flying many thousands of hours- every pilot in history was new and inexperienced- I would be shocked if delta ever lowered qualifications to bring in female pilots-when I see a female pilot I know they have been trained and qualified just like the males, but when I see a really young pilot,male or female, I am taken aback, even though I know the difficulty of their training and they must be top notch to get anywhere near a plane with passengers but I still want an older pilot flying me. That being said, we need the next generation of pilots on the job getting the hours that make them as safe as possible

    1. Cletus Guest

      Yes. We should definitely suspend someone’s career progression so they can act as a glorified babysitter. Look: steep experience gradients are effective in only contributing to human factor errors. If you want to feel comfortable being hauled around by regional flight crews, instead demand that specific experience be gained prior to employment, thus steadying them for the progression. Issuing training wheels as an alternate standard is just obtuse - if only on a moral level.

      Yes. We should definitely suspend someone’s career progression so they can act as a glorified babysitter. Look: steep experience gradients are effective in only contributing to human factor errors. If you want to feel comfortable being hauled around by regional flight crews, instead demand that specific experience be gained prior to employment, thus steadying them for the progression. Issuing training wheels as an alternate standard is just obtuse - if only on a moral level.

  15. Myron Oleson Guest

    James Henneman was experienced at flying a desk. He is not a regular line pilot. Instead, he is a “Special Projects Manager”. Much of his career has been spent in areas other than flying airplanes.

    He picked up this trip for one reason, to meet company requirements for currency.

    Even though he had 12 years with regional airlines, his actual flying experience is much less than that.

    Kendal Swanson has less than a year...

    James Henneman was experienced at flying a desk. He is not a regular line pilot. Instead, he is a “Special Projects Manager”. Much of his career has been spent in areas other than flying airplanes.

    He picked up this trip for one reason, to meet company requirements for currency.

    Even though he had 12 years with regional airlines, his actual flying experience is much less than that.

    Kendal Swanson has less than a year flying the line.

    These two pilots being paired together was an accident waiting to happen…and it did.

  16. Jose Guest

    I'd really like to know the names of the pilots. Just because Delta’s statement refers to one of the pilots as “he” doesn’t mean it’s a male. “He” might be a biological female who identifies as a man and whose pronouns are He/Him. Of course, the same applies to the pilot identified as "she."

  17. Juan Falso Guest

    1500 hr rule does not apply to the FO. Who was the pilot flying? Also what is the FO's total time, multi-engine time and turbine time?

    1. Lieflat19 Gold

      That is incorrect

  18. brianyyz New Member

    Your cow-towing to the anti-DEI proto-fascists is disappointing to say the least. If you think you and your family are not in their targets is naïve.

    1. pilot dave Guest

      Spot on.... It looks clearly in the video what ever pilot was PIC, they failed to flare...

  19. Chris_ Diamond

    You're spending way too many words legitimizing the people who are opposed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. They don't come from a place of legitimate discourse - they seek power through supremacy and oppression.

  20. Sidney Orr Guest

    In years past, DEI hires were not nearly as prevalent as in recent years, nor has "DIVERSITY" been a PRIORITY for airlines and Boeing and MANY large enterprises (including HOSPITALS & Medical SCHOOLS etc) rather than lower-priority MERIT in recent years. Its common sense that with so many diversity-hires in so many important businesses, that the public is concerned. Yes, its also true that in years past, "pilot error" was by experienced non-affirmative-action-hire MALE pilots....

    In years past, DEI hires were not nearly as prevalent as in recent years, nor has "DIVERSITY" been a PRIORITY for airlines and Boeing and MANY large enterprises (including HOSPITALS & Medical SCHOOLS etc) rather than lower-priority MERIT in recent years. Its common sense that with so many diversity-hires in so many important businesses, that the public is concerned. Yes, its also true that in years past, "pilot error" was by experienced non-affirmative-action-hire MALE pilots. Let's see if there will be an uncensored report of the incident in due time!

  21. A better pilot Guest

    Here are facts: the pilot flying was extremely inexperienced and did not hold a full PIC qualification for the aircraft and didn’t it even hold a full ATP Airline Transport License… <<< FACTS.
    She could not handle that aircraft and it was clearly visible based on the video. She did not arrest the landing with a flare and it wouldn’t surprise me if she inadvertently left the autopilot on. Whatever way she messed up,...

    Here are facts: the pilot flying was extremely inexperienced and did not hold a full PIC qualification for the aircraft and didn’t it even hold a full ATP Airline Transport License… <<< FACTS.
    She could not handle that aircraft and it was clearly visible based on the video. She did not arrest the landing with a flare and it wouldn’t surprise me if she inadvertently left the autopilot on. Whatever way she messed up, the plane slammed into the runway and that is due to her inexperience. Why would you have someone who can’t perform flying in those conditions without a senior highly experienced captain? The captain was a simulator pilot, correct? They should never have been paired together and she should not have been flying in any other conditions than great weather and light winds.

  22. Chris Guest

    The female pilot was flying with a restricted license. She was only 6 weeks out from being a pilot. She landed the plane. This article is VERY deceptive but seems that’s the going theme with American news outlets these days. It’s not hard to find the proof of her restricted licensure and that she was NOT qualified to land that plane.

    1. Tim Dunn Diamond

      sorry... but you clearly do not understand about which you write.

      Pilots with an R-ATP ARE qualified and trained to land a plane and they have been pilots for years before starting w/ their private, instrument, commercial etc.

      We STILL do not know who was flying the plane.

      and there have been plenty of accidents in the past that ended up being identified as pilot error that involved senior male pilots.

  23. atcsundevil Member

    Those of you who are dumping on the CA for sticking with a regional clearly don't understand how any of this works. He got hired right before the financial crash, which means he probably got furloughed at Mesaba not long after IOE. After he came back, he probably got some decent senority pretty quickly, which would have carried over to EDV when Mesaba folded. Mainlines didn't start picking up their hiring in earnest until he...

    Those of you who are dumping on the CA for sticking with a regional clearly don't understand how any of this works. He got hired right before the financial crash, which means he probably got furloughed at Mesaba not long after IOE. After he came back, he probably got some decent senority pretty quickly, which would have carried over to EDV when Mesaba folded. Mainlines didn't start picking up their hiring in earnest until he would have had about 10 years in, and by that point, he'd have a pretty good choice of his schedule. Not every pilot is chasing the left seat on an A350. Going from a long time CA at a regional to an FO at mainline means taking a pay cut (at least for a while) and going straight to the bottom of the list, which usually means flying reserve and then taking lousy schedules for several years. There are plenty of experienced and highly capable regional pilots flying around every day because of this, so taking a dump on the guy for choosing quality of life over big jets is pretty lame.

    Likewise, dumping on the FO for being new is weak. Some of the most skilled pilots, controllers, and mechanics I know are female, and it's often because they have to overcome the misogynistic douchebags standing in their way to get to where they are. You can't gain experience if you aren't flying the jet, and when she likely has upwards of 2,000 hours total time, I think she can handle her own.

    Now, how about we wait for the actual investigation before we start pointing fingers? Fact is, most of you have never even worked in the industry and have no idea what you're talking about anyway, so if your first instinct is to jump on the DEI bandwagon without having any actual facts, then you should probably just sit this one out.

  24. Captain Guest

    Why are they hiding the pilot info? Simple question that has nothing to do with the investigation.
    The info on the DCA helicopter crash was out immediately on the two white guys but the other pilot’s info was not until all social media regarding her and her family was scrubbed. And then very little has come out.
    Again…why?

    1. Tim Dunn Diamond

      because it IS NOT industry standard practice to release information on the pilots as part of the initial phases of the crash investigation.

      Further, as Ben noted, DL released the information it did to correct clearly FALSE statements that were being made.

    2. Xx Guest

      Here’s the deal - flying a Cessna single engine is not the same as flying a jet. She was way behind the plane and clearly was not in control. She should not be allowed to fly passengers in anything other than calm, clear weather and under supervision of a real Captain - not a sim instructor

  25. Edward Vignaroli Guest

    If there was a prompt release of the facts, there wouldn’t be conspiracy theories filling the void.

    1. UncleRonnie Diamond

      Prompt as in 97 seconds afterwards? That’s about how long it takes the trolls and conspiracy loons to comment. Authorities have no chance to keep up with social media.

  26. UncleRonnie Diamond

    Everyone has to learn sometime and hours-at-the-controls are everything, however the Captain giving full control to a relative newbie to land in that weather was a big risk.

    1. Tim Dunn Diamond

      I am pretty sure we even know who was flying the plane on landing.

      and, if the FO was flying, the question has to be asked why the CA did not retake the jet during the descent given there are people who say - again not confirmed by investigators - that the flight was descending at a higher rate of speed than normal.

      We also do not know if there was wind shear...

      I am pretty sure we even know who was flying the plane on landing.

      and, if the FO was flying, the question has to be asked why the CA did not retake the jet during the descent given there are people who say - again not confirmed by investigators - that the flight was descending at a higher rate of speed than normal.

      We also do not know if there was wind shear or any mechanical problems - all of which are factors that have to be considered.

      as to the comment below - if she was just upgraded from a restricted air transport pilot, it means she/he went to an FAA university pilot program. She flew for a year for Endeavor which means she had to have been hired at just over 1000 hours since you still have to 1000 hours to fly in airline operations which includes regional jets.
      again, this is all speculation until confirmed but it could say that US airlines need some time to get experience levels back to where they were pre-covid.

      And I have friends who are Canadians that are flying types of air transportation with fewer hours than are allowed for Americans to do the same thing.

      The investigators will release their findings in time. Until then, making definitive statements one way or the other is irresponsible.

    2. Tim Dunn Diamond

      ... I am pretty sure we DON"T even know who was flying the plane on landing

    3. Timiswoke Guest

      We do know. One male simulator captain and one low time female.
      The male voice was on the radio to tower, therefor the female was flying the aircraft.

    4. Lieflat19 Gold

      yup. clear as day. The loonie liberals don't want to admit it was the INEXPERIENCED FEMALE.

    5. atcsundevil Guest

      So then how is the "relative newbie" supposed to gain experience to no longer be a "relative newbie". She is certified to fly the aircraft just like he is, so it's irrelevant who was flying. If you don't have confidence in your crew, then you shouldn't be operating.

  27. Jimmy The Plane Guy Guest

    This info on the crew was known within an hour of the incident on the ground. We should also see at some point the First officer at the controls had a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot certificate granted in just January of 2025 so she was super new as she flew what appears to be a perfectly fine aircraft right into the ground. Also note that the Captain is ultimately responsible for the aircraft so they...

    This info on the crew was known within an hour of the incident on the ground. We should also see at some point the First officer at the controls had a Restricted Airline Transport Pilot certificate granted in just January of 2025 so she was super new as she flew what appears to be a perfectly fine aircraft right into the ground. Also note that the Captain is ultimately responsible for the aircraft so they are trying to figure out the legal responsibility right now with a CA flying with an RATP. Important to note that the 1500 hour flight time is surely almost exclusively single engine propeller time and does not include a ton of multi engine turbine time so don't think she has 1500 on this aircraft experience.

    Also the comment of "white men cause most aviation accidents" is correct but 94% of pilots at Endeavor are men. THat mean statistically that we should see only 1 out of 20 Endeavor airline crashes with a woman at the controls. Have we seen 19 other Endeavor crashes? It is a statistical anomaly if everything is equal. Lot's of investigation left to do folks so don't jump to anything yet.

    1. FlyerDon Guest

      Oh Jimmy. You really shouldn’t post about things you know nothing about. The FAA requires a pilot to have an ATP before they are hired. If they graduated from certain approved university programs they can be issued a restricted ATP with fewer flight hours. In either case she had an ATP before she was hired at Endeavor. She was hired in January of 2024 and finished training in April of 2024. The date on a...

      Oh Jimmy. You really shouldn’t post about things you know nothing about. The FAA requires a pilot to have an ATP before they are hired. If they graduated from certain approved university programs they can be issued a restricted ATP with fewer flight hours. In either case she had an ATP before she was hired at Endeavor. She was hired in January of 2024 and finished training in April of 2024. The date on a license (certificate) is not the date a certificate is first obtained. The date could indicate simply a change of address or an additional rating. She has been flying the line for ten months, whether you like it or not.

  28. Simplepilot Guest

    Greatest lie ever told when he did in fact fail training at delta and had to go back. You really think he missed the regional jet life so much and said no I want to go back to it and skip all that mainline money and flying.

    Captain: Mesaba Airlines, a progenitor company of Endeavor Air, hired the captain in October 2007. He has served both as an active duty Captain and in pilot...

    Greatest lie ever told when he did in fact fail training at delta and had to go back. You really think he missed the regional jet life so much and said no I want to go back to it and skip all that mainline money and flying.

    Captain: Mesaba Airlines, a progenitor company of Endeavor Air, hired the captain in October 2007. He has served both as an active duty Captain and in pilot training and flight safety capacities. 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.

  29. Jimi Guest

    Delta revealed the following concerning the email first officer: she was able to start work prior to completing her 1500 hours under a Restricted Air Transport Pilot certificate. She crossed the 1500 hour mark and certified in January 2023. If it turns out she was in control and it was pilot error, I suspect these loopholes will be closed and the minimum training requirements will be stiffened. Not a bad thing.

  30. John Cadia Guest

    Can you provide the source document where you got this information?

  31. lars Guest

    At the outset, you essentially assert that lack of experience isn’t a factor due to the 1500 hour rule. Then you wrap up saying that if the woman was flying, then lack of experience could be a factor.

    Which one is it?

    1. Andrew H. Guest

      If you know a little about how crew scheduling works the questions you would ask are...

      Was this specifically a training flight?
      (The presence of an experienced training Captain would appear to indicate that it was)

      How many block hours did she have in the aircraft?
      (If she were under 100 hours she would be considered "green").

      If this was a training flight then why is she still under training after a year...

      If you know a little about how crew scheduling works the questions you would ask are...

      Was this specifically a training flight?
      (The presence of an experienced training Captain would appear to indicate that it was)

      How many block hours did she have in the aircraft?
      (If she were under 100 hours she would be considered "green").

      If this was a training flight then why is she still under training after a year with the company?
      (Airlines will make sure that new hires get their 100 hours as quickly as possible.)

  32. digital_notmad Diamond

    Bigots gonna bigot. Best thing you can do is take note of who complains about DEI and be sure not to hire them/write them out of your personal life in whatever capacity - and move on, happier for it!

  33. Jay Bree Guest

    I don't care what gender or race, the pilot is when I fly, I just want the most qualified.

    It's a shame companies put their passengers at risk playing social justice warrior games. There's litigation waiting in the wings for companies who play this game and lose.

    1. BenjaminKohl Diamond

      What's wrong here is that you seem to be assuming any woman (and you'd probably say the same about a racial minority) is intrinsically less qualified then any white man.

      Airlines ONLY HIRE QUALIFIED PILOTS! Sure, if there's a choice between a black woman and an equally competent white man, they may choose the black women as she has historically faced a much harder time getting to that position, but if she's actively less qualified, THEY WON"T HIRE HER

    2. Stefan Guest

      That is simply wrong. Airlines have been caught over decades cutting corners, skirting maintenance, hiring pilots on the cheap in difficult financial circumstances, and then working them like mules.

      At some point, a pilot - aside from a piece of paper - easily becomes an unqualified pilot, be it due to lack of talent, circumstances, or working conditions. You can get your license skirting by and then you find a company that will for...

      That is simply wrong. Airlines have been caught over decades cutting corners, skirting maintenance, hiring pilots on the cheap in difficult financial circumstances, and then working them like mules.

      At some point, a pilot - aside from a piece of paper - easily becomes an unqualified pilot, be it due to lack of talent, circumstances, or working conditions. You can get your license skirting by and then you find a company that will for whatever reason hire you. Either because they want to save a buck, have ulterior motives such as DEI targets or simply due to a shortage in the job market.

  34. Tina Christianson Guest

    There have been female pilots since the 1970’s so I think it’s horrible to blame the female pilot as a DEI hire right off the bat. People can be so mean.

    1. Richard Hendrickson Guest

      Merit based hiring?

  35. Steve Grimstead Guest

    As a retired 33,000 hour Delta pilot in numerous types, former accident investigator for USAF and Delta ALPA go-team, don’t be a Monday morning quarterback. That’s what the media does, eye-witnesses testify the plane was on fire and plummeted into the ground. Seldom reliable, video and metallurgy are.
    I’ve formed an opinion on the cause, but wouldn’t share it without all the elements and facts.
    It was certainly a challenging landing situation.
    ...

    As a retired 33,000 hour Delta pilot in numerous types, former accident investigator for USAF and Delta ALPA go-team, don’t be a Monday morning quarterback. That’s what the media does, eye-witnesses testify the plane was on fire and plummeted into the ground. Seldom reliable, video and metallurgy are.
    I’ve formed an opinion on the cause, but wouldn’t share it without all the elements and facts.
    It was certainly a challenging landing situation.
    Mistakes DO happen, we’re human. The investigation is to find the root cause and a prevention strategy.

    1. George Guest

      I agree with you, but do find it odd that the PIC has not at this point been identified. If it was the relatively new FO, then these were very difficult conditions to be attempting a landing. If that is the case I believe some blame will be placed on the Captain as well for not taking control of the aircraft. Like you we can only know what we see on the videos - but sure looks like that aircraft didn’t flare upon landing. Certainly looked like a hard touch down.

    2. Lieflat19 Gold

      then why even comment?! you said absolutely nothing in your comment! We ALL KNOW what really happened, only half of us are afraid to say it or don't want to admit the truth....

  36. AeroB13a Guest

    In the world of Military aviation, every landing which one walks away from is a good landing.

    1. Jim Guest

      This isn’t military aviation, though. These are passengers that paid for a ride; they didn’t sign up for dangerous duty

    2. Stefan Guest

      This is a civilian airliner, and passengers who buy tickets on Delta, American, etc, don't do so with the risk of being used as guinea pigs for unqualified pilots.

      Discovery will be great in this case. A field day for trial lawyers.

  37. K Helldoge Guest

    Definitely a DEI hire and lacking in experience. She had no business landing that aircraft in those conditions. The Captain failed her, as well as Endeavor. This lady’s lack of experience will be a causal factor in the crash. (She didn’t even flare, for goodness sake.)

    If this idiocy continues, the 1500 hour rule will be increased to 3000 hours.

    1. Icarus Guest

      A rant from a republican dotard supporting a totalitarian regime.
      Why worry about Russia when it is mostly the US spreading fake news.

    2. Johnny D Guest

      You’re the misinformed. Oh and also an idiot racist.

    3. atcsundevil Guest

      You should probably try commenting less.

    4. BBK Guest

      How dare you! didn't you know that pointing an absolutely factual thing that everyone with a tiny knowledge on the area could see (plane didn't even flare for landing) automatically makes you a racist and a totalitarian!

  38. Lee Guest

    Post hoc ergo propter hoc. Just because straight white males have been the pilot in command in most air disasters over the course of human flight does not mean we should ban straight white males from pilot certification. Such attribution would unfair.

  39. Ross Guest

    It was predictable that questions would be raised about the pilots, their experience, and which was in charge. In the old days, the three local TV stations and two local newspapers could control the length of time the public would have to wait for the answers. Delta is like any other airline now, unable to get out in front of alternative media. "We aren't going to inform, we are just going to deny when the...

    It was predictable that questions would be raised about the pilots, their experience, and which was in charge. In the old days, the three local TV stations and two local newspapers could control the length of time the public would have to wait for the answers. Delta is like any other airline now, unable to get out in front of alternative media. "We aren't going to inform, we are just going to deny when the theory has traveled several times around the world." That no longer works.

  40. Joe Guest

    Excellent article. Thank you for publishing such a professional informative piece. I wish some of these “professional” pilots that have posted such nonsense could learn from you. Well done!

  41. John Guest

    Someone pleaded with people not to speculate about this incident and let the investigators 'do their job'.

    So why did someone post about this incident in the first place?? The disconnect is real. It's like deliberately placing a juicy t-bone steak onto the floor right in front of your dog and acting (key word: acting) shocked and horrified that your dog...eats it(!)

    1. jetset Diamond

      Posting about a newsworthy aviation incident that people are talking about is different than driving rampant speculation and wild theories about the CAUSE of the accident.

      Major airline accidents have always been news stories. The way some media outlets, but especially social media, now treat them is what drives the bad faith speculation and need to comment.

  42. Not Lucky Guest

    I assume all the idiots blaming DEI for everything also historically blamed the merit-free hiring of white males for every air crash in the first 75 years of flight? Probably should exclude straight white males from everything in life, based on the way these people think!

  43. Paul Guest

    DEI is a disgustingly discriminatory policy. All the DEI supporters are doing is replacing old discriminatory policies with another. This is just a power play from those interested parties and virtue signalling from others which is sadly never going to benefit our society.

  44. Stanley C Diamond

    Ben wrote: ‘ Then you have some media outlets that probably don’t have bad intentions, but also can’t say no to the clicks and traffic, so they jump on the bandwagon as well, with little skepticism into what’s being reported.’

    I truly disagree. They do have bad intentions. Without any merit or the whole truth, they rush to publish inaccurate information in the desire to drive up their Internet traffic which can push up revenue....

    Ben wrote: ‘ Then you have some media outlets that probably don’t have bad intentions, but also can’t say no to the clicks and traffic, so they jump on the bandwagon as well, with little skepticism into what’s being reported.’

    I truly disagree. They do have bad intentions. Without any merit or the whole truth, they rush to publish inaccurate information in the desire to drive up their Internet traffic which can push up revenue. That, in itself, is bad intention because they add fuel to the wildfire of misinformation.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Stanley C -- Well, I mean, I'm trying to give benefit of the doubt here...

    2. Stanley C Diamond

      @Ben I completely get your point. But not everyone is as kind-hearted as you are. You always do your best to publish accurate and fair reporting as best as you can. I am sure you know that there are others who do not share the same level of professionalism as you have :)

      This is why I make sure I read OMAAT daily if possible while just occasionally with other travel blogs. Thank you for...

      @Ben I completely get your point. But not everyone is as kind-hearted as you are. You always do your best to publish accurate and fair reporting as best as you can. I am sure you know that there are others who do not share the same level of professionalism as you have :)

      This is why I make sure I read OMAAT daily if possible while just occasionally with other travel blogs. Thank you for your reply. You are the best travel guru out there despite what DCS may inaccurately think.

  45. GoAmtrak Diamond

    Speaking of social media, Ben may I suggest you disable Facebook comments? The tenor of convo was already worse than here on the site, and now this linked post is full of fake spam/scam news links which I doubt you’d want to spend time moderating.

  46. Gva Guest

    “Every time Trump guts a federal agency, a plane loses its wings.”

  47. Don Guest

    The information in Delta's statement that stood out was the pairing of an experienced Captain with a background in training and flight safety, with a relatively new First Officer. If policy, that statement is comforting, for books and simulators, while excellent training tools, cannot replace the wisdom learned through experience of the Captain sitting next to them.

    1. JustinB Diamond

      Very good point. Every single airline pilot there is was new at some point - if we don't allow those with less (albeit 1500+ hours is still a lot!) experience fly now, in 10-15 years all pilots would end up being significantly less experienced.

  48. 2PAXfly Gold

    Just to clarify what DEI is in this debate. Especially as it gets lumped together or confused with 'affirmative action' and 'diversity hires'. DEI is where:

    'Businesses and government departments use DEI as a label to refer to policies and measures that ensure people of all backgrounds gain equal access and thrive in their workplace.

    'Such initiatives are aimed at addressing longstanding structural racism and sexism by promoting opportunities within organisations for people with diverse...

    Just to clarify what DEI is in this debate. Especially as it gets lumped together or confused with 'affirmative action' and 'diversity hires'. DEI is where:

    'Businesses and government departments use DEI as a label to refer to policies and measures that ensure people of all backgrounds gain equal access and thrive in their workplace.

    'Such initiatives are aimed at addressing longstanding structural racism and sexism by promoting opportunities within organisations for people with diverse identities.' [ABC (Australia) News online]

    So, remember, this is about 'equal access' not special treatment.

    1. Lieflat19 Gold

      Isn't that what was already referred to as no discrimination based on color, gender, religion, age, etc???????

  49. Goph Guest

    If plane crashes and burns and everyone dies = DEI caused it

    If plans crashes and everyone survives = DEI caused it

    If plane doesn’t crash and everyone survives = DEI will cause it just not this time

  50. pstm91 Diamond

    Two things can be true - social media is a great tool for (some) information and keeping in touch with people. Social media is also a cancer on society. I do believe the cons far outweigh the pros, even without getting into any mental health consequences and other side effects.

    1. Don Guest

      @pstm91 -- Interesting take. The next evolution of social media may involve the impact of AI. The ability of AI to "create" may at first cause misinformation, but in the end, give birth to a mistrust of the information found on social media. This may be a positive, the beginning of humanity gathering facts from multiple sources and thinking independently!!

      Yeah ... I just read what I wrote...never mind.

    2. Mamad Member

      Unfortunately, I don't share your trust in people's judgment, just look at the amount of reactions and comments on "boomer traps" on facebook. And it's not going to get better soon as social media companies are intent on doubling down on AI with Meta even announcing the creation of AI profiles that would interact with users. Another example is the amount of "AI influencers" and models with a market already worth $4.6 bn currently and...

      Unfortunately, I don't share your trust in people's judgment, just look at the amount of reactions and comments on "boomer traps" on facebook. And it's not going to get better soon as social media companies are intent on doubling down on AI with Meta even announcing the creation of AI profiles that would interact with users. Another example is the amount of "AI influencers" and models with a market already worth $4.6 bn currently and slated to grow to $38 bn by 2030.

      P.S: "boomer traps" being AI picture posts made to get reactions from generally older people with captions that usually goes along the lines of: 'I turned 120 . I baked myself a cake with every detail made with love, but it seems like no one cares. ' which would in turn elicit numerous comments.

    3. DJM Guest

      Mamad, I don't know how the "generally older people" in your life spend their time, but most of us don't spend our days staring at, and playing with, our cell phones.

    4. Dusty Guest

      No, my grandad just spends his days browsing Facebook on his tablet and watching either FOX news, Newsmax, or a local TV news channel owned and run by FOX news. He's immersed in the right-wing culture war outrage bait, and nothing is going to pull him back out of it.

    5. ImmortalSynn Guest

      Give it a rest. The same things were said about video games, TV, and everything else under the sun in the decades prior. Same nonsense, different date.

  51. Antwerp Guest

    So we are finally realizing now who the "woke" ones were all along. It would be comical if not sad in that these lunatics are tearing our society apart.

    1. InLA Guest

      Note: The opposite of woke is asleep. The state of being asleep does not require any actual thinking.

  52. Sen Guest

    It's been confirmed she was the one piloting the plane at the time of the crash. And yes, there's metrics to prove that she was 100 a dei hire.

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Sen -- Could you please provide the proof that she was a DEI hire, and explain what exactly that means?

    2. Antwerp Guest

      And they are? Or just you saying there are?

    3. DenB Diamond

      Sen means "someone on Reddit said".

    4. Jessie Guest

      Are you aware of all the gates and steps necessary to become an ATP pilot? If you are one, shame on ya. DPEs are not in the business of promoting pilots who don’t meet the bar. Check airmen don’t have a quota to meet. If anything, women have to be better than their male peers to ensure idiots like you are laughed at when they suggest that any minority isn’t as good as a straight...

      Are you aware of all the gates and steps necessary to become an ATP pilot? If you are one, shame on ya. DPEs are not in the business of promoting pilots who don’t meet the bar. Check airmen don’t have a quota to meet. If anything, women have to be better than their male peers to ensure idiots like you are laughed at when they suggest that any minority isn’t as good as a straight white man. Airlines are in the business of safety. They wouldn’t pass anyone undeserving out onto the line just because… of DEI? Try on some logic.

    5. jetset Diamond

      @Sen - Can you point to a single verified source that knew who was piloting the aircraft? Anonymous online posters or random alternative media sources are not credible as literally anyone could make up any assertion and claim it is true.

    6. Aaron Guest

      If Presidents Trump & Musk can make statements without ever providing facts and data to support those statements, why is anyone expecting Sen to provide any for his statement?

    7. Jesse13927 Gold

      @Sen
      That is not how metrics work.

  53. NedsKid Diamond

    Some of your fellow Boarding Area cohorts have already been needlessly speculating. I think the thot leader just is upset he couldn't view the FO's social media before she took it down.

    Thank you Ben for being the one with a fair, non-conspiratory approach as always.

    1. 305 Guest

      Thot leader is also disappointed the spicy flight attendant wasn't working the flight. Would have given him a reason to post about her for the 900th time

  54. Sel, D. Guest

    Endeavor, with immature TikTok videos flaunting their “unmanned” flights with all female crews brought the scrutiny on themselves.

    If DEI is factor of the crash, which I HIGHLY doubt, Delta/Endeavor will do everything they can to hide or spin that fact. While the lawsuits are going to be bad either way, a gender/race selected pilot could shoot those to the moon, especially dependent on jurisdiction.

    “The videos show the plane descending at a very...

    Endeavor, with immature TikTok videos flaunting their “unmanned” flights with all female crews brought the scrutiny on themselves.

    If DEI is factor of the crash, which I HIGHLY doubt, Delta/Endeavor will do everything they can to hide or spin that fact. While the lawsuits are going to be bad either way, a gender/race selected pilot could shoot those to the moon, especially dependent on jurisdiction.

    “The videos show the plane descending at a very fast pace, and seemingly not flaring much before landing”

    1. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Sel, D. -- "If DEI is factor of the crash, which I HIGHLY doubt, Delta/Endeavor will do everything they can to hide or spin that fact."

      Delta and Endeavor Air aren't the investigators, and don't publish the accident report.

    2. Ben Schlappig OMAAT

      @ Sel, D. -- BTW, you mentioned the TikTok thing on another post and asked my take on it. I shared my thoughts, and asked you some questions, but you didn't respond. So since you bring this up again, let me ask, because I'm genuinely curious:

      "I'm curious, where do you draw the line as to what you consider to be DEI nonsense in terms of what airlines promote and market? When an airline has...

      @ Sel, D. -- BTW, you mentioned the TikTok thing on another post and asked my take on it. I shared my thoughts, and asked you some questions, but you didn't respond. So since you bring this up again, let me ask, because I'm genuinely curious:

      "I'm curious, where do you draw the line as to what you consider to be DEI nonsense in terms of what airlines promote and market? When an airline has a story about an all-male crew (as Finnair recently did), do you think that's wrong? What about a story about a father and son pilot duo working a flight together? What about a story about a mother and daughter pilot duo working a flight together?"

      "I don't read too much into those things, because I just think they're supposed to be cute stories that make people smile, and I have bigger things to worry about. Aren't we supposed to be against being snowflakes, or something?"

    3. Sel, D. Guest

      Thanks for asking. Good point on the accident report, and given the current administration I’m sure they’ll be almost looking for that, and it would be terrifying if they find anything substantiative. Can you imagine the future passenger reaction to female pilots if this is true? It will be like post 9-11 Islamophobia all over again, x100.

      When an airline has a story about an all-male crew (as Finnair recently did), do you think...

      Thanks for asking. Good point on the accident report, and given the current administration I’m sure they’ll be almost looking for that, and it would be terrifying if they find anything substantiative. Can you imagine the future passenger reaction to female pilots if this is true? It will be like post 9-11 Islamophobia all over again, x100.

      When an airline has a story about an all-male crew (as Finnair recently did), do you think that's wrong? YES. This actually highlights the absurdity, DEI coming full circle.

      What about a story about a father and son pilot duo working a flight together? Cool family story, as long as gender isn’t a focus as in “look at what men can do”. We know men can fly planes.

      What about a story about a mother and daughter pilot duo working a flight together? Cool family story, as long as gender isn’t a focus as in “look at what women can do”. We know women can fly planes.

      For nonsense in promoting/marketing, I would draw the line at gender or race being celebrated in anyway. For pilot selection, quals only. I suppose same as the Harvard ruling to end their racist admissions.

    4. Antwerp Guest

      Generations of women, Sel, have had to fight to break through glass ceilings. Well worthy of celebration. As a white male I am so happy to see and experience flight crews who were once marginalized now excelling at their careers. Are you saying that we should not celebrate the idea of how we have advanced over the years? I think it's well worth it. It's a beautiful thing. If anything, the bravery of these fine...

      Generations of women, Sel, have had to fight to break through glass ceilings. Well worthy of celebration. As a white male I am so happy to see and experience flight crews who were once marginalized now excelling at their careers. Are you saying that we should not celebrate the idea of how we have advanced over the years? I think it's well worth it. It's a beautiful thing. If anything, the bravery of these fine people is tested even more as they are scrutinized by savages who wait for them to make one mistake and to ruin their lives with no facts or any information. Or, worse yet, with complete lies.

    5. Lieflat19 Gold

      I don't want to celebrate anything. I just want to get from Point A to Point B safely and on time. I don't care what color skin my pilot has, I don't care if they have a D or a V. I just want them to be qualified, be professional and get me to my destination safely.

      This is so silly that we "celebrate" all women, all black, all whatever (whats next all TRANScontinental?)...

      I don't want to celebrate anything. I just want to get from Point A to Point B safely and on time. I don't care what color skin my pilot has, I don't care if they have a D or a V. I just want them to be qualified, be professional and get me to my destination safely.

      This is so silly that we "celebrate" all women, all black, all whatever (whats next all TRANScontinental?) crew flights. There have been so many of these flight already.

      The sad thing is this DEI stuff does a huge disservice to people of color, females and other "underrepresented" people who ARE qualified and did get there on their own merits. Anything goes wrong now, they will IMMEDIATELY be identified as a DEI hire, no matter what. And it shouldnt be that way, but the loonie lefties have been pushing it down Americans throats for so long it's become an issue. Not just in aviation, but every part of the economy and country....

    6. Pete Guest

      Well shoot, those ladies are getting themselves all kinds of high falutin' jobs these days. Flying jet airplanes, doing police work, running their own businesses, performing surgery. Welcome to the 21st century.

    7. Aaron Guest

      @Pete

      Black and Hispanic/Latino people as well.

    8. Norm Guest

      The mindset of supposed professionals making those cringe Tik -Tok videos does not give confidence.

    9. Stefan Guest

      Absolutely. Best way to summarize this!

      They will be sued into the ground and lawyers will have a field day with the discovery process. Plenty of nasty details to come out!

  55. yoloswag420 Guest

    This is good information.

    Sadly reactionaries online have already poisoned the well and spread so much disinformation to the public.

Featured Comments Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ).

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pstm91 Diamond

Two things can be true - social media is a great tool for (some) information and keeping in touch with people. Social media is also a cancer on society. I do believe the cons far outweigh the pros, even without getting into any mental health consequences and other side effects.

8
Ben Schlappig OMAAT

@ Stanley C -- Well, I mean, I'm trying to give benefit of the doubt here...

6
K Helldoge Guest

Definitely a DEI hire and lacking in experience. She had no business landing that aircraft in those conditions. The Captain failed her, as well as Endeavor. This lady’s lack of experience will be a causal factor in the crash. (She didn’t even flare, for goodness sake.) If this idiocy continues, the 1500 hour rule will be increased to 3000 hours.

5
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