Delta CRJ-900’s Winged Adventure: A Dramatic Landing Tale
Brace yourselves, folks! Delta’s regional wing, Endeavor Air, just grabbed the headlines again with an airborne drama that unfolded mid-March. Picture this: a plane coming in for a landing that turned into a whirlwind of sparks and gusts!
Endeavor Air CRJ-900’s Daring Wing Strike
On a seemingly innocuous Sunday, March 16, 2025, things got a bit too close for comfort for flight DL4814. This Endeavor Air CRJ-900 flight was headed from Jacksonville to New York’s LaGuardia. With 80 souls bracing what should have been a routine landing, the 17-year-old aircraft with the catchier code, N185GJ, was about to test nerves.
As the plane lined up for runway 22, the weather was anything but friendly. Winds howled at 22 knots and blustered up to 36, while blowing stubbornly crosswise at 40 degrees to the runway. If Mother Nature had a vendetta, it sure seemed like she was cashing in.
At about 10:10 PM, the pilots made a go-around call—the aviation equivalent of “Abort mission!” What tipped off the drama, you ask? An air traffic controller piped in with, “Somebody saw sparks from one of your wings,” followed by a casual query, “Feel anything?” The pilot’s response was reassuringly nonchalant—“We didn’t, but we’ll check it.” Just another day at the office, right?
On the second lap, 20 minutes later, landing was smoother by comparison. Kudos to the crew for pulling off a textbook approach after a slight intermission.
The aviation sleuths at VASAviation weren’t ones to miss a beat. Their video play-by-play coupled with the cockpit audio spills more beans. During the first landing attempt, a voice chimed in: “I got it, I have, I have the aircraft.” You heard right. That seems to hint at the first officer doing the honors before the captain stepped in to take the reins, which tends to be a wise move when fate seems to play hardball.
The Plot Thickens on the Ground
Fast forward 36 hours and our protagonist is still stuck at LaGuardia, away from the skies. The FAA is nosing around to size up the damage, confirming the wing’s brush with the runway. Meanwhile, Delta did what big airlines do best—crafted a cordial statement:
“The Endeavor Air flight crew followed established procedures to safely enact a go-around at New York-LaGuardia. The aircraft landed safely and proceeded to its arrival gate. We apologize to our customers for the experience.”
Not Exactly the Look Delta Was Going For
Now, let’s not blow this out of proportion. Accidents happen, right? But with the aviation grapevine in full swing, our incident buddy hit national airwaves. It’s only fair we discuss a few key points:
- Curious minds are eyeing the investigation’s next chapter. Will the plane’s comeback reveal telling signs of distress?
- The Endeavor CRJ-900’s fame isn’t exactly built on fluff and glamour—it shares a marquee moment with a Toronto incident, featuring dramatic runway clashes. Bad optics, anyone?
- On a positive note, kudos to the reinforcement engineers for the CRJ-900. When things go pear-shaped, that bird holds its own pretty well.
Decoding the Experience Puzzle
But before we point fingers, let’s pause. Was this a tale of pilot blunder, or was it destiny’s rogue gust? The broader aviation backdrop is full of rising junior pilots post-pandemic, battling to fill in gaps left by their experienced predecessors. It’s a new age without links to any juicy Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion tales.
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Bottom Line
The wings of Endeavor Air’s CRJ-900 flew a bit too close to the ground for comfort. But after a hair-raising go-around, fate dealt a safer landing on the second try. Now, the airship lingers in LaGuardia’s parking bay, as gossips swirl over another runway soap opera.
Chalk it up to another story in aviation’s narrative. What are your thoughts on the Endeavor Air CRJ-900? How would you have handled that flight?