The Cranbrook Air Crash

On February 11, 1978, Pacific Western Airlines 737-200 crashed at Cranbrook Airport. The estimated time of arrival given by Calgary ATC was in error and the flight crew did not report to the airport over its final approach beacon. The aircraft touched down just as the pilots noticed a snow plough on the runway. A go-around was initiated but the thrust reverses did not stow away properly because hydraulic power was automatically cut off at lift-off. The aircraft missed the plough, overran, the runway, crashed and burned. The crash killed four of the five-crew members and 38 of the 44 passengers.