Date: July 23, 1983
Aircraft: Boeing 767-233
Flight: Air Canada 143, Montreal → Edmonton
Crew: Captain Robert (Bob) Pearson, First Officer Maurice Quintal
Passengers: 61
Incident: Total fuel exhaustion at 41,000 feet
Outcome: Safe unpowered landing at Gimli, Manitoba
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1. Background: A New Jet, A Metric Mistake
The Boeing 767 was one of Air Canada's newest aircraft — a modern, twin-engine, wide-body jet equipped with electronic flight instrumentation systems (EFIS) and digital fuel management systems.
However, the fuel quantity indicator system (FQIS) had a known fault. Since the Minimum Equipment List (MEL) allowed the aircraft to be dispatched without it (provided fuel was manually confirmed), the crew proceeded — manually calculating fuel using dipsticks and density factors.
Key Failure:
The fuel was calculated in liters, converted to kilograms using the density factor.
But the technician used the incorrect density conversion (lbs instead of kg), loading 22,300 lbs instead of 22,300 kg.
Result: The aircraft departed with only about half the required fuel — enough for 1,200 miles, not the full route.
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2. The Crisis Unfolds: Total Flameout at 41,000 Feet
At cruising altitude over Red Lake, Ontario, the left engine flamed out first, triggering alarms.
Moments later, the right engine also failed, leaving the aircraft completely powerless.
This meant:
No thrust
Loss of electrical systems
Hydraulics failed
Flight displays darkened
No pressurization
Lifeline: The RAT (Ram Air Turbine) — a small propeller that deploys to use the airstream to generate limited hydraulic and electrical power. It allowed partial control of the flight surfaces.
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3. Glide Performance: Turning a Jetliner Into a Glider
Without engines, a Boeing 767 becomes a very heavy glider.
Glide ratio: About 12:1 — for every 1,000 feet of altitude lost, it can glide ~12 nautical miles.
Starting at 41,000 feet, they had around 80 nautical miles of gliding range.
First Officer Quintal quickly calculated they would not reach Winnipeg — the original diversion.
He remembered Gimli, a former RCAF base 70 miles away, where he once trained.
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4. Airmanship Under Pressure: Systems, Strategy, and Skill
The aircraft was descending 3,000+ feet per minute, and systems were rapidly degrading.
What the crew managed:
Manual landing gear extension via gravity drop (but the nose gear didn’t lock).
Maintained lateral control using limited hydraulic power from the RAT.
Communicated with ATC using backup radios.
Calculated glide angle and descent rate on paper — there were no working FMC displays.
First Officer Quintal navigated using dead reckoning — no FMC maps available.
Captain Pearson, a seasoned glider pilot, made the crucial call: to perform a sideslip — a gliding maneuver that increases drag without increasing lift — allowing a fast descent without overshooting the field.
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5. The Hidden Danger: Gimli Was a Racetrack That Day
Unknown to the crew, Runway 32L at Gimli had been converted into a car racing track, complete with:
Concrete barriers
Crowds of spectators
Families camped nearby
But it was still a flat strip of asphalt — and Pearson had no better option.
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6. The Touchdown: Controlled Chaos
The 767 approached too fast and high. With no flaps or spoilers (hydraulics were limited), airspeed control was minimal.
Landing Dynamics:
No reverse thrust
No nose wheel steering
Main gear touched down hard
The nose gear collapsed, sliding on the forward fuselage
Sparks flew, tires blew out, and onlookers scattered
The crew used differential braking to keep the aircraft aligned
Final result: A complete stop on the drag strip, just short of campers.
Not a single fatality. Minor injuries only.
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7. Investigations & Legacy:
Root Causes:
Human error in unit conversion
Inadequate training in metric/imperial transition
Dispatching with a known FQIS fault
Lapses in procedural double-checks
Actions Taken:
Air Canada overhauled metric conversion training
ICAO and national agencies issued guidance on fuel mismanagement prevention
Crew were initially faulted but later honored for heroism and skill
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8. Why It Matters: Real Lessons in Aviation
Crew Resource Management (CRM): Quintal and Pearson operated as a true team under duress.
Airmanship: Pearson’s glider experience directly saved lives.
Training & Systems: Modern avionics mean nothing if fundamentals fail.
Redundancy: The RAT, MEL policies, and judgment call on destination proved essential.
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9. Fast Facts Recap
Fuel Needed: ~20,400 kg
Fuel Onboard: ~10,100 kg
Glide Distance from 41,000 ft: ~80 nautical miles
Landing Gear: Nose gear failed to lock
Landing Site: Active drag racing strip
Casualties: 0 fatalities, 10 minor injuries
Nickname: “Gimli Glider”
Aircraft Later Flew: Until 2008
From quiet skies to runway sparks — the Gimli Glider incident is still studied in aviation schools worldwide. A testament to cool heads, steady hands, and the timeless value of pilot instinct.