ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 17585
Last updated: 21 May 2013
This information is added by users of ASN. ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | 15-MAY-1956 |
| Time: | 10:37 |
| Type: | Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck |
| Operator: | 445 Sqn RCAF |
| Registration: | 18367 |
| C/n / msn: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 13 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Villa Saint-Louis Convent, Orleans, 10 km east of Ottawa -
 Canada
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | AFB Uplands (CYOW) |
| AFB Uplands (CYOW) |
On May 15, 1956 two CF-100 'Canucks' of 445 Squadron were scrambled out of Uplands Air Force Base near Ottawa, to intercept an aircraft approaching Montreal from the north. Having made the identification, the two aircraft returned to Ottawa, but climbed to 33,000 feet to burn off some of their heavy fuel load with practice intercepts.
One aircraft returned safely to base after expending the required amount of fuel, but Canuck 18367 loitered at altitude a while longer. At 10:37 PM the aircraft crashed into the Villa Saint-Louis, a convent belonging to the Grey Nuns of the Cross, at Orleans, 10 km east of Ottawa.
No explanation for the sudden descent was ever found, though it was speculated that the oxygen system had failed since there was no radio contact from the two aircrew.
Ironically, that area of Ottawa was mostly farm fields, the Villa being the only substantial building for miles around.
The crash and subsequent fire killed fifteen people, eleven Sisters of the Grey Nuns, two other civilians and the two airmen: F/O K.D. Thomas and F/O W.L. Schmidt
The co-ordinates given (N 45° 29.031 W 075° 32.757) are for the crash memorial, not the crash site. The memorial stands on the banks of the Ottawa River behind the now rebuilt Residence Saint-Louis, 879 Hiawatha Park Road, which is now a home for the elderly. The memorial has fifteen stones taken from the ruins of the old Convent.
Sources:
FlugzeugClassic 05/2008
http://www.ody.ca/~bwalker/RCAF_18351_18400_detailed.html
http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMC97V_RCAF_CF_100_Crash_Site_Ottawa_Ontario_Canada
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 26-Apr-2008 09:46 | Bleiente | Added |
| 25-Aug-2011 05:20 | Uli Elch | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative] |
| 18-Jan-2012 01:43 | Nepa | Updated [Time, Registration, Operator] |
| 18-Jan-2013 13:03 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Registration, Source, Narrative] |
| 18-Jan-2013 13:09 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Narrative] |
| 26-Jan-2013 15:28 | Nepa | Updated [Operator] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description