5 July 1970 - Air Canada 621 While at 60ft, on approach to runway 32, the aircraft suddenly descended very fast. The no.4 engine was torn off in the subsequent heavy landing. The crew initiated an overshoot and climbed to 3000ft. Then, a large piece of the right wing (including engine no.3) separated, and the DC-8 crashed in flames. Possibly a fuel tank explosion occurred during the go-around.
PROBABLE CAUSE: Premature deployment of spoilers during final approach.
Source Content FO Nice day CA Beautiful FO That's where old (unintelligible) lives there I guess. What do they call it? High Park? CA Oh FO Those apartments there. See them? The high-rise there FO Yes It looks over the (unintelligible). It's quite a good view out over the lake there. SO The housing in Toronto is out of this world. Expensive, yeah. FO Yeah, expensive all right. FO Yeah, a lot of people have made a lot of money. CA Yeah, Ill say. CA Four for three FO Four for three [click click click] APP Air Canda 621 is cleared for the vectored ILS. Take course 32 and turn right to 230 final and four miles RDO-FO Roger APP 230 RDO-FO Roger. 230. APP You are currently three and a half east of the marker RDO-FO 621 CA Before landing [clunk. An increase in background noise] FO 2975 APP 621 right turn now to heading 28. You are three to the marker FO Check three green. Four pressures. Spoilers. FO No (unintelligible) on the green CA All right. Give them to me on the flare. I have given up. FO (laughing) CA I am tired of fighting it. SO Fuel (panel) set CA Thank you CA Thirty-five flap FO Thirty-five FO 142 APP Air Canada 621 right around to 310 to intercept the back course. Turn into 187. Good day RDO-FO Maintain 310 (roger). Goodday RDO-FO Toronto tower. Air Canada 621. Approaching the whisky TWR 621 stil depart to 727 [apparent power increase] FO Well it's pretty late CA Yeah FO Surprise (unintelligible) CA Landing flap FO 129 CA 134 5 [apparent power decrease] RDO-FO 621 is by the whisky TWR 621 roger. Check (your) gear down FO Gear down SO Spoilers to go in the (unintelligible) CA Okay, thanks [apparent power increase] [whistling] CA Ho Ho Ho CA Well that's right on the VASIS. We are little below the glide though FO Yeah you are right CA It's going to be rougher than a gut. Look at that stuff laying there on the runway [apparent power decrease] FO Get that thing off the ground. He is leaving a smoke screen for you, just to make it a little challenging TWR 621 cleared to land on runway 32 RDO-FO 621 CA My IFR approach here unknown. Heh, heh, heh FO Here we have a green. The VASIS appear to be a little bit high but you are low on the glide path FO Takes a whole airfield that way CA Yeah CA Okay [apparent power reduction] CA No. No. No FO Sorry, of sorry, Pete! [apparent power increase] [noise of impact] FO Sorry Pete! CA Okay CA We have lost our power [exclamation] TWR Air Canada 621. Check you on the overshoot and you can contact departure on 199 or do you wish to come in for a mile on 5 right CA We'll go around. I think we are all right RDO FO Roger. We are go all the way (around) TWR Okay contact departure FO Roger 199 CA Get the gear up please, Don [sound of horn] FO What about the flap CA Flap 25 FO Sorry. What was (unintelligible) SO Number 4 generator is gone CA Okay, get the cross-feed off first (though). Good (unintelligible) CA Will you give the approach a call? [Sound of middle marker signal] RDO-FO Toronto Approach Control. Air Canada 621 is overshooting on 32. DEP Air Canada 621 confirm on the overhoot RDO-FO Affirmative DEP Okay, sir. Your intentions please. RDO-FO Roger. We would like to circle back for anothr attempt on 32. DEP Okay. Runway is closed. Debris on the runway. Twenty three left - it is probably about the best. The wind is northwest about 10 to 15. Turn right heading 070 3000 feet. RDO-FO Right 070 roger 3000 DEP Roger 621 CA We've lost number 4 engine FO Have we? CA (unintelligible) SO Fuel SO Fuel CA Aye? SO Fuel CA Is it? FO Yes CA Okay, cut number 4 ?O Number 4 engine CA Yes ?O Number 3 engine CA Number 4 ?O Number 4, right. CA Number 3 is jammed, too FO Is it? CA There it is. CA The whole thing is jammed. [crackling noise] FO What was that? FO What happened there, Peter? CA That't number 4 (unintelligible) Something's happened (unintelligible) FO Oh, look, we've got a (unintelligible). [loud sound of explosion] FO Pete, sorry. [louder sound of explosion] CA All right. DEP 621. The status of your aircraft, please. [sound of metal tearing] CA We've got an explosion FO Oh look, we've got (unintelligible) flame FO Oh, gosh ?? We've lost a wing [end of transcript] ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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