The Gimli Glider: How a Pilot's Skill Averted a Catastrophe

Air Canada Flight 143: How a Fuel Calculation Error Turned a Boeing 767 into a Glider On July 23, 1983, an Air Canada Boeing 767, flight 143, found itself in a desperate situation. The plane, carrying 69 passengers and crew, ran out of fuel at 12,500 feet above the Canadian prairie. What made this event even more extraordinary was that the plane was one of the most modern aircraft of its time. The cause of this critical incident was a simple calculation error, where fuel was measured in pounds instead of kilograms. This led to a significant underestimation of the fuel required for the flight. Captain Bob Pearson, the flight's commander, was not your average pilot. His experience in gliding, a skill that involves piloting small, engine-less aircraft, proved invaluable. "I'd never imagined I'd have to 'glide' a 767," Pearson later recalled in an interview. First Officer Maurice Quintal, familiar with the Gimli area, suggested diverting to Gimli Airport, a former Royal Canadian Air Force base. The precision landing was described by aviation experts as a feat of skill and a stroke of luck. Despite the perilous circumstances, nobody was killed or seriously injured. The successful emergency landing was attributed to the Captain's exceptional skill and the fortunate presence of a suitable landing strip. It serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of precise calculations and the extraordinary capabilities of skilled pilots.