1970 — July 5, Air Canada Flight 621 Plane Crash near Toronto, Canada–24 (US) of 109/all

–109 ASN. Accident description Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.
–109 Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.
–109 City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010
–109 Gero. Aviation Disasters…World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950. 1996, p. 96.
–109 Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1).
–109 Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 modification.
–108 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
–108 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash…Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.

U.S.
— 24 Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-’70
— 23 Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.
— 23 Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Aviation Safety Network, Flight Safety Foundation:
“Time: 08:09….
“Registration: CF-TIW
“C/n / msn: 46114/526
“First flight: 1970
“Total airframe hrs: 453….
“Crew: Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9
“Passengers: Fatalities: 100 / Occupants: 100
“Total: Fatalities: 109 / Occupants: 109….
“Location: 11 km (6.9 mls) N of Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ) Canada
“Phase: Landing….
“Departure airport: Montreal-Dorval International Airport…
“Destination airport: Toronto International Airport…
“Flight number: 621

“Narrative: Air Canada flight 621 was a routine early morning flight originating from Montreal-Dorval International Airport, QC (YUL), with destination Toronto International Airport, ON (YYZ). The DC-8-63 plane, a relatively new airplane which had been delivered just over two months ago, departed at 07:17 for a flight which was to take just over 50 minutes. The captain was pilot flying. The enroute and descent portion of the flight were uneventful.

“At a distance of 8 miles from Toronto Airport, about 08:02, the ‘Before-Landing Check’ was made. This included the lowering of the undercarriage and according to Air Canada procedures should include arming the spoilers. This item however was intentionally omitted. On previous flights were the captain and first officer had flown together they had disagreed on when to arm the spoilers. Both men did not like to arm the spoilers at the beginning of the final approach, fearing that this increased the chance of inadvertent spoiler activation. The captain preferred to arm the spoilers on the flare, while the first officer preferred to arm and extend them on the ground. Although both procedures where contrary to company policy, it was agreed between them that when the captain was flying the aircraft, the first officer-would cause the spoilers to be extended on the ground, and when the first officer was flying the captain would arm the spoilers on the flare.

“However on this particular occasion, the captain and first officer had a discussion about when the spoilers should be armed. The captain finally ordered: “All right, give them to me on the flare”, which was contrary to their personal agreement on previous flights. 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 “O.K.”; and immediately thereafter the ground spoilers were deployed.

“The aircraft was about 60 feet above runway 32 at that time and began to sink rapidly. The captain immediately noticed what had happened, applied full throttle to all four engines and pulled back the control column. The nose came up as the aircraft continued to sink. Realizing what he had done, the first officer apologized to the captain. The plane than struck the runway heavily, causing the number 4 engine and pylon to separate from the wing. It fell on the runway along with a piece of the lower wing plating, allowing fuel to escape and subsequently ignite.

“The DC-8 rose back into the air, at which time the ground spoilers retracted, and climbed to an altitude of 3100 feet. During this climb, fire and smoke were seen trailing behind the aircraft intermittently. The crew wanted to circle for an emergency landing on runway 32. This was not possible because of debris on the runway, so the controller suggested a landing on runway 23. About two and a half minutes after the initial touchdown an explosion occurred in the right wing outboard of the 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. 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 airplane then went into a violent maneuver, lost height rapidly and at the same time more wing plating tore free following which the DC-8 struck the ground at a high velocity, about 220 knots in a left wing high and nose low attitude.

“PROBABLE CAUSE: The Canadian investigation report did not conform to ICAO standards and did not contain a probable cause as such.

“Follow-up / safety actions: As a result of this accident, the Federal Aviation Administration issued Airworthiness Directive AD 70-25-02 cautioning pilots against in-flight operation of ground spoilers by requiring the installation of a warning placard in the cockpit and the insertion of an additional Operating Limitation in the Flight Manual.

“On June 23, 1973, a Loftleidir DC-8-61 (N8960T) made a short, hard landing, after the first officer had inadvertently activated the ground spoilers during the final phase of the landing approach. The aircraft was damaged extensively when it hit the runway, and injured 38 persons. Therefore the NTSB issued safety recommendations A-73-111 and -112 on December 9, 1973. These recommended the FAA to 1) Require that a protective device be installed as a part of the activating lever mechanism of the ground spoiler system in DC-8 aircraft; and 2) Amend 14 CFR 25 (Airworthiness Standards) to require that ground deceleration devices which directly affect the lift generated by the wings be designed so that they cannot be inadvertently operated in flight.

“Responding to recommendation A-73-111, the FAA issued another Airworthiness Directive (AD 74-04-02), a.o. regarding the installation of a spoiler handle lockout.

Regarding A-73-112, the FAA believed that FAR 25.671, 25.685, 25.697 and especially FAR 25.697(b) and 21.21(b) (2), as presently written, are adequate to ensure airworthy designs.

“The NTSB closed the recommendation May 1974, filing it as “closed — unacceptable action”.” (Accident description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, Toronto 5 Jul 1970.)

Newspaper

July 6: “Toronto (AP) — More than 20 Americans were among 108 persons killed Sunday in the crash of a Canadian jetliner landing in Toronto. The Air Canada Super-DC8 crashed in a field about four miles north of Toronto International Airport after attempting to land for a stopover on a flight from Montreal to Los Angeles. All aboard were killed.

“Of 89 identified victims, 23 were from addresses in the United States. There were 75 paying passengers, most of them from Quebec and California; two infants; 22 vacationing Air Canada employes and a crew of nine….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Toronto (AP)…. The plane was en route from Montreal to Los Angeles, and more than 20 of the passengers were from Southern California….” (Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “Airliner Crash Claims May Hit $20 Million.” 7-7-1970, p. 8.)

July 7: “Five Valley residents and a man on his way to live in North Hollywood were aboard the Los Angeles-bound Air Canada DC-8 which crashed in Toronto Sunday, killing all 108 persons on the plane.

“The jet crash, the second worst, in Canada’s history in terms of the number killed, claimed the lives of 24 Southern California residents. All but one of the other victims was from Canada.

“The five local residents who died in the air disaster were:

Mrs. Celia Sultan 27 and her sons Robert 2½ and Jerald 5 months, of…Woodland Hills;
Anthony Molino of…Northridge; and
Miss Jacqueline Dore or…Burbank.

“The sixth victim was Isdvad Simon, 34, a Hungarian refugee who was on his way to live with his brother Sandor of North Hollywood…..

“According to reports from Toronto International Airport, the plane developed a fire in one engine and was ordered to climb and jettison fuel when an engine fell off the aircraft and the plane crashed not far from the airport. One witness told authorities the aircraft, was nearly engulfed in flames as it went down in a field. The craft reportedly touched down on the runway, sprang back into the air and fell.

“The flight originated in Montreal and was to make a stop in Toronto before coming on to Los Angeles….” (Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20.)

Brampton Guardian, 2010: “….There was not one whole body identified….

“The airliner was en route from Montreal to California, carrying many Americans returning after Fourth of July celebrations, as well as many Quebec residents….

“The airliner, travelling at 220 knots, hit the ground with a “tremendous blast” just 150 feet from the Burgsma farmhouse, shattering every door and window of the home while the family of 11 slept. “There was no fire,” Sytze Burgsma told reporters at the time. “Everything was silent except for a hissing sound coming out of that big hole.”….” (Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010.)

Sources

Aviation Safety Network. Accident Description. Air Canada McDonnell Douglas DC-8-63, N of Toronto, 5 Jul 1970. 10-30-2003 update. At: http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19700705-0

Brampton Guardian. “40th anniversary of Flight 621 crash.” 7-2-2010. Accessed 1-14-2012 at: http://www.bramptonguardian.com/news/article/842288–lovely-idea

City of Brampton [Can.], Office of Mayor. “Brampton Remembers Flight AC621.” 2010. Accessed at: http://www.brampton.ca/en/City-Hall/Office-Mayor/building-better-brampton/Pages/Brampton-Remembers-AC621.aspx

Gero, David. Aviation Disasters: The World’s Major Civil Airliner Crashes Since 1950 (Second Edition). London: Patrick Stephens Limited, 1996.

Post-Register, Idaho Falls, ID. “108 Die in Toronto Plane Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 8. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=62090084

Socrata, the Open Data Co. Airplane_Crashes_and_Fatalities_Since_1908(1). Accessed at: http://www.socrata.com/ [Inoperable when checked 3-13-2022]

Times Standard, Eureka, CA. “23 U.S. Deaths in Crash.” 7-6-1970, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=54921793

Valley News, Van Nuys, CA. “5 from Valley Lose Lives in Crash of Canadian Jet.” 7-7-1970, 20. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=16318751

Wikipedia. “Air Canada Flight 621.” 12-8-2011 mod. Accessed at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_621