Today In Canadian July 5: The Air Canada Flight that killed 109 people

July 5, 1970, remains a dark day in Canadian aviation history. On a clear Sunday morning, Air Canada Flight 621, a DC-8 jet making its final approach to Toronto International Airport from Montreal, fell from the sky. The aircraft slammed into a farmer's field in what was then Toronto Gore Township, now part of Brampton, tragically killing all 109 people on board—100 passengers and 9 crew members.

The investigation that followed revealed a tragic sequence of events rooted in a design flaw and miscommunication. During the landing approach, the ground spoilers, which are meant to be deployed only after touchdown to help slow the plane, were accidentally activated in the air. This caused the aircraft to lose lift and drop heavily, striking the runway with such force that an engine and part of the wing broke off. The pilots fought for control and managed to get the crippled plane airborne again for a go-around, but the damage was too severe. Less than three minutes later, it crashed.

The crash of Flight 621 was a national tragedy, but it led to crucial, life-saving changes in aviation. It prompted modifications to the spoiler lever design to prevent accidental deployment, and the cockpit voice recorder from the flight became a key tool in developing Crew Resource Management (CRM)—a new standard for communication, leadership, and decision-making in the cockpit. For years, the crash site was marked only by the memories of local residents and victims' families. Today, a memorial garden stands as a solemn and beautiful tribute to the lives lost and a reminder of the hard-won lessons that have made air travel safer for everyone.