Boeing 767 Glides Safely to Ground After Running Out of Fuel

A Boeing 767 aircraft operated by Air Canada ran out of fuel at an altitude of 41,000 feet on July 23, 1983. Both engines of the plane, which was flying from Montreal to Edmonton, simultaneously quit without warning due to a fuel-quantity error during refuelling.

The aircraft's fuel system measured in kilograms, but the ground crew at Montreal calculated the fuel load in pounds, resulting in an error that left the 767 with roughly half the required amount of fuel. The shortfall went unnoticed until both engines flamed out in flight.

Captain Robert Pearson and First Officer Maurice Quintal were able to glide the powerless jet approximately 100 miles to a landing at Gimli Industrial Park, Manitoba, thanks to Captain Pearson's experience as a glider pilot. Despite the challenging conditions, all 69 people on board survived with minor injuries during the emergency evacuation.