Special Sub-Topic: The Gimli Glider Click Here To Play: The Gimli Glider

What was the original route for Air Canada 143?

Montreal to Edmonton. Air Canada 143 was en route from Montreal, Quebec to Edmonton, Alberta when they attempted to divert to Winnipeg after running out of fuel. They made a crash landing at a previously used runway at what is now Gimli Motorsports Park.

The flight number AC 143 was retired after the accident.

f. AC 143 continues to be used for the Montreal to Edmonton route. Even the plane involved in the accident continued to fly until 2008, when it was retired.

Who was the captain of this flight?

Bob Pearson. Bob Pearson at the time was 48 years old and had 15,000 hours of flying time. He also had some gliding experience at St. Lezard, where he attended a flying club.

The digital fuel gauges were out of service.

t. The digital fuel gauges were out of service. The components that controlled it had not been made properly. In Montreal, there was no spare part to replace it.

When the airplane landed, what did it crash into?

A Guard Rail. The airplane barely stopped, but countless lives were saved because the landing gear on the nose did not lock. That way it could stop more quickly.

How much fuel was required for the trip?

22,300 kilograms. Actually, the plane left with only 22,300 pounds of fuel. It required 22,300 kilograms of fuel. A pound is about one-half a kilogram, so the plane left with half the fuel required.

What type of plane was involved in the accident?

Boeing 767. This plane was a brand new Boeing 767 that Air Canada had recently acquired. it was only carrying a small number of passengers on that flight.

What was the first problem that the plane faced?

Low Fuel Pressure. After a normal flight halfway to Edmonton, the plane got a low fuel pressure warning which lead to a series of events. These include engine failure, unlocked landing gear, and being too high from the runway.

All the emergency slides on the airplane reached the ground.

f. Because of the landing gear being unlocked, the rear slides did not reach the ground due to being at a steep angle. The front slides were not at such a steep angle.

Did everyone on board survive?

y. Fortunately, everyone survived. The experienced crew and the excellent training proved to be useful in this accident.