Criminal Occurrence description
Last updated: 19 May 2013
| Status: | Final |
| Date: | 08 JUL 1965 |
| Time: | 15:41 |
| Type: | Douglas DC-6B |
| Operator: | Canadian Pacific Air Lines - CPAL |
| Registration: | CF-CUQ |
| C/n / msn: | 43844/334 |
| First flight: | 1953 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29998 |
| Engines: | 4 Pratt & Whitney R-2800 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 6 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 46 / Occupants: 46 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 52 / Occupants: 52 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off |
| Airplane fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | 32 km (20 mls) W of 100 Mile House, BC (Canada)
 |
| Phase: | En route (ENR) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Vancouver International Airport, BC (YVR/CYVR), Canada |
| Prince George Airport, BC (YXS/CYXS), Canada | |
| Flightnumber: | 21 |
Canadian Pacific Flight 21 was a domestic flight from Vancouver (YVR) to Whitehorse (YXY) via Prince George (YXS), Fort St . John (YXJ), Fort Nelson (YYE) and Watson Lake (YQH).
At 14:42, the DC-6 "Empress of City of Buenos Aires" took off on an instrument flight plan for Prince George, via Victor 300 and Blue 22 airways.
En route, at 15:29 the crew reported to Vancouver ATC Centre that they had passed Ashcroft at 16,000 feet. They were estimating William Lake at 15:48.
At 15:38 hours, Vancouver Centre called Flight 21 and did not receive a reply. About two minutes later, three "Mayday" calls were heard by Vancouver Centre. An explosion had occurred in the left aft lavatory. Smoke trailed the aircraft and the tail separated from the fuselage. The main portion of the wreckage assumed a nose down attitude and spiralled to the left until it crashed into a wooded area.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Explosion of a device which resulted in aerial disintegration." Events:
Sources:
» Aircraft hijackings and other criminal acts against civil aviation : statistics and narrative reports / FAA
» ICAO Circular 88-AN/74 (150-154)
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Vancouver International Airport, BC to Prince George Airport, BC as the crow flies is 520 km (325 miles).
Distance from Vancouver International Airport, BC to Prince George Airport, BC as the crow flies is 520 km (325 miles).
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Douglas DC-6
- 64th loss
- 704 built
- 10th worst accident (at the time)
- 13th worst accident (currently)
Canada- 4th worst accident (at the time)
- 7th worst accident (currently)