July 5, 1970

Toronto, Canada

Air Canada

Douglas DC-8

N142D



While attempting to land at Toronto, at approximately 60 feet above the runway, the

spoilers were inadvertently deployed causing the aircraft to fall to the runway and lose

the No. 4 engine. With the wing on fire, the captain decided to go-around but while

circling the plane lost the No. 3 engine and eventually went into a seep dive and

crashed. All 109 aboard killed.



CA Captain

FO First Officer

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

FO Number 3 engine

CA Number 4

FO 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