Canada

On final approach to Silver Falls Airstrip, the single engine airplane caught fire for undetermined reason. The pilot was able to continue the approach, to land and to stop the airplane. He evacuated the cabin before the airplane would be destroyed by fire.

Flight number 621 of Air Canada DC-8-63 CF-TIW with 100 passengers, six cabin air crew and three flight crew aboard on July 5, 1970 from departure at Montreal International Airport until its final crash at Toronto International Airport lasted slightly more than 52 minutes. This aircraft took off at Montreal at 07 hours and 17 minutes EDT, initially touched down on runway 32 at Toronto International Airport at 08 hours 06 minutes and 36 seconds EDT and finally crashed at 08 hours 09 minutes 34 seconds EDT. The flight from Montreal to Toronto was routine. The flight during this interval was also routine. The "In-Range Check" was made when the aircraft was about 10 miles from Toronto International Airport on a southerly heading. The "Before-Landing Check" was made when the aircraft was about 8 miles from this Airport, and just commencing its turn onto final approach. On this Before-Landing cockpit check, which includes the lowering of the undercarriage, the item "spoilers armed" was intentionally omitted. During this period there occurred a conversation between the Captain and the First Officer as to whether the ground spoilers would be armed 'on the flare' or 'on the ground' and an agreement between them as to this was reached. The agreement was that the First Officer would arm them 'on the flare', that is, immediately before the aircraft touched down on the runway. Power was reduced then on the aircraft for the purpose of the flare and the Captain gave the order to the First Officer by saying 'OK'; and immediately thereafter the ground spoilers were deployed. The spoilers were deployed when the aircraft was about 60 feet above the runway. As a result, the aircraft sank rapidly. Practically immediately thereafter the Captain, with an exclamation, applied full throttle to all four engines and pulled back the control panel causing the nose of the aircraft to rotate upwards. During this sequence the First Officer apologized to the Captain for what he had done. Notwithstanding the action taken by the Captain, he did not succeed in preventing the aircraft from touching down on the runway. Instead, the aircraft struck the runway very heavily. It remained on the runway only about half a second and then rose back into the air at which time the ground spoilers commenced to retract and then did retract. When the aircraft struck the runway, number 4 engine and pylon separated from the aircraft and fell on the runway along with a piece of the lower wing plating (which allowed fuel to escape and subsequently ignite). Damage was also done at this time to the attachments relating to number 3 engine, but that engine after touchdown continued to function. After this touchdown, the aircraft climbed to an altitude of 3,100 feet above the ground. During this climb, there were conversations between the First Officer and the aircraft airport control tower from which it is patent, that the air crew considered that they would be able to cause their aircraft to circle for another landing attempt on runway 32. In fact, the air crew did not know, until only about 40 seconds prior to the final crash, that the happening of such final crash was irreversible. During this climb, fire and smoke were seen trailing behind the aircraft intermittently. About 2 and one half minutes after the initial touch down of this aircraft on the runway, the first explosion occurred in the right wing outboard of number 4 engine location causing parts of the outer wing structure to fall free to the ground. Six seconds later, a second explosion occurred in the vicinity of number 3 engine and the engine with its pylon ripped free of the wing and fell to the ground in flames, trailing heavy black smoke. Six and one half seconds later, a third explosion occurred which caused the loss of a large section of the right wing, including the wing tip. The aircraft then went into a violent manoeuvre, and with the right wing still ablaze, lost height rapidly and at the same time more wing plating tore free following which the aircraft struck the ground at a high velocity, about 220 knots in the attitude with the left wing high and the nose low. At final crash, all persons aboard this aircraft were killed.

Upon takeoff runway 36, AAC lifted off with 18 souls on board transporting 14 Indigenous children home for the Summer holidays accompanied by a chaperone. The crew consisted of a pilot, co-pilot and a flight engineer. The runway 18/36 was 10,000 ft long and 150 ft wide. As the aircraft lifted off and came abeam of the control tower, I observed a fire in the left engine. My transmission to the pilot was, quote “AAC Val d’Or Tower, fireball left engine”. Response was “Roger Tower”. Engine fire was immediately extinguished and shut down and aircraft continued to climb. Pilot was cleared for unrestricted landing and given winds. No further transmissions heard from pilot. Emergency crash bells were rung at this instance and emergency response stations were of an airborne emergency. I anticipated the aircraft would continue to climb, turn right into live engine and effect a landing on Rwy 18. However, the aircraft started to descend, commenced a left turn into the shutdown engine and was disappeared behind the hill just North West of the button of Rwy 18. Once I lost sight of the aircraft behind the hill, known to Station personnel as “Lang’s Hill”, the crash bells were again sounded indicating a Major Disaster which now required all Station personnel to respond. The Major Disaster alarm was sounded at exactly 4:01 p.m. on a Friday night. — Friday nights at CFS Val d’Or was a traditional beer call time when most of the 350 personnel of the Station were present at the various Messes which commenced at 1600 hrs. All 18 souls on aircraft AAC were rescued within 15 minutes of impact. Both the pilots were found still strapped to their seats upside down outside near their respective wings. The flight engineer was also still strapped to his seat and was found upside down in the nose of the aircraft which was split open and jagged. The aircraft had been guided into very high trees and had basically slid down the trees and came to approximately a 45-degree angle. The most serious injury, as I understand, was an injured vertebra sustained to one of the pilots which resulted in no permanent damage. All others sustained minor cuts and bruises. I was later told that this was precisely the manoeuvre the pilot said he would make if such an incident was encountered; it obviously worked. The efficiency of the Station Major Disaster Team in quickly locating and extracting the crew and passengers of AAC was amazing. All souls were housed in a Station Barrick Block, attended to medically and shortly after transferred to the St-Sauveur Hospital in Val d’Or for further care.
Thanks to Lou Travis, ATC on duty at the time of the accident, for his testimony.

On final approach to Lutselk'e Airport, the airplane crashed into an icy lake. There were no casualties.

While searching mountainous terrain for a missing aircraft, the pilot entered a narrow mountain valley at low altitude. While attempting to round to come back out of it the aircraft struck a tall tree while in a 60° bank to the left. and crashed in flames and burned. Four Persons sustained fatal injuries.
Source: www.dhc-2.com

Upon landing at Inuvik Airport, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway and came to rest. There were no casualties but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Six minutes after takeoff from Edmonton Airport, the pilot informed ATC about an engine failure but preferred to continue rather than to return. Later into the flight, unable to maintain the prescribed altitude, the pilot elected to divert to Calgary Airport for a safe landing when on final, the airplane lost speed, stalled and crashed in a field. Both occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Churchill Falls Airport at 1800LT on a flight to Montreal with an intermediate stop in Wabush (Labrador City). On final approach, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and failed to realize his altitude was insufficient. Out of track, the airplane struck trees then crashed on a mountainous terrain located few km from the airport. The controller at Wabush Airport informed Moncton ATC about the disappearance of the aircraft and SAR operations were initiated. All eight occupants were killed, among them Donald J. McParland, President of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corporation, his assistant John Lethbridge, Eric Lambert and three employees of the Acres Canadian Bechtel.

While approaching Timmins Airport, the crew realized that weather conditions were marginal and decided to return to Winisk. This was not possible as the weather worsened at Winisk as well so the crew returned to Timmins and initiated a second approach despite the visibility was below minima. On final, the aircraft was too low and crashed three km short of runway threshold. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while four others were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

While descending to Moshabong Lake and completing a last turn, the pilot lost control of the airplane that stalled and crashed into the lake near the shore. Two passengers were killed while a third one and the pilot were seriously injured.