Manitoba community marking 40th anniversary of Gimli Glider
It’s been nearly 40 years since a Boeing 767 carrying more than 60 people onboard made a dramatic emergency landing in a small Manitoba community and became immortalized in the annals of the province's history as the Gimli Glider.
The Manitoba community is now getting ready to mark the milestone 40th anniversary of the historic moment.
On July 23, 1983, Air Canada Flight 143 left Montreal for Edmonton at an altitude of about 12,500 metres. Around the halfway point, the plane ran out of fuel.
The pilots, Capt. Bob Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal, were able to avoid the disaster by landing the aircraft on the runway of an old military base in Gimli, Man.
Peter Grant with the Gimli Glider Museum said the issue stemmed from the fact that Canada was switching from the imperial to metric system at the time, and the computer on the plane that measured the fuel was broken.
“The ground crew were not quite up to par on converting in their own minds litres into kilograms, so they used the same formula that they would for imperial,” Grant explained in an interview on Monday.
“They told Bob Pearson, the captain, that he had 20,000 kilograms of fuel, in reality he had 20,000 lbs of fuel.”
Grant added that somewhere over Red Lake, Ont., Pearson realized he was out of fuel and needed to get to the nearest airport, which he thought was in Winnipeg. However, they did not have enough altitude to get there, so Quintal suggested they land in Gimli, where he had trained in the air force.
“He said, ‘There’s a jet runway in Gimli,’ and Bob said, ‘Get me there.’ That’s how they ended up there,” Grant said.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary of this event, a dinner and dance is being held on July 22 in Gimli. Pearson will be the guest speaker.
More information on the event and how to buy tickets can be found online.
- With files from CTV’s Ainsley McPhail.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fall sitting bookended by Liberal byelection losses ends with Trudeau government in tumult
The House of Commons adjourned on Tuesday, bringing an end to an unstable fall sitting that has been bookended by Liberal byelection losses. The conclusion of the fall sitting comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's minority government is in turmoil.
2 B.C. police officers charged with sexual assault
Two officers with a Vancouver Island police department have been charged with sexual assault, authorities announced Tuesday.
Canadian government announces new border security plan amid Donald Trump tariff threats
The federal government has laid out a five-pillared approach to boosting border security, though it doesn't include specifics about where and how the $1.3-billion funding package earmarked in the fall economic statement will be allocated.
B.C. teacher disciplined for refusing to let student use bathroom
A teacher who refused to let a student use the bathroom in a B.C. school has been disciplined by the province's professional regulator.
Most Canadians have heard about Freeland's resignation from Trudeau cabinet, new poll finds
The majority of Canadians heard about Chrystia Freeland's surprise resignation from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet, according to a new poll from Abacus Data released Tuesday.
Police chief says motive for Wisconsin school shooting was a 'combination of factors'
Investigators on Tuesday are focused on trying to determine a motive in a Wisconsin school shooting that left a teacher and a student dead and two other children in critical condition.
After investigating Jan. 6, House GOP sides with Trump and goes after Liz Cheney
Wrapping up their own investigation on the Jan. 6 2021 Capitol attack, House Republicans have concluded it's former GOP Rep. Liz Cheney who should be prosecuted for probing what happened when then-President Donald Trump sent his mob of supporters as Congress was certifying the 2020 election.
Wine may be good for the heart, new study says, but experts aren’t convinced
Drinking a small amount of wine each day may protect the heart, according to a new study of Spanish people following the plant-based Mediterranean diet, which typically includes drinking a small glass of wine with dinner.
The Canada Post strike is over, but it will take time to get back to normal, says spokesperson
Canada Post workers are back on the job after a gruelling four-week strike that halted deliveries across the country, but it could take time before operations are back to normal.