February 11, 1978
Cranbrook, BC, Canada
Pacific Western Airlines, Flight 314
Boeing B-737-275
C-FPWC

The aircraft touched down just as the crew noticed a snow plow 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 plow, overran the runway,
crashed and burned. Forty-two of 49 aboard killed.

A - Cranbrook Aeradio
D - Calgary Departure
E - Calgary En route
G - Snow Sweeper
L - Aeradio Landline
PW314 - Pacific Western Flight 314
T - Calgary Tower

12.18 PW314 Calgary Clearance Delivery it's Pacific Westerns three fourteen.
  D Three fourteen to the Cranbrook Airport centre stored flight level two zero zero. Depart runway one six, runway heading until through ten thousand, turn right squawk one three zero zero.
  PW314 OK, three fourteen, the Cranbrook Airport, centre stored, flight level two zero zero runway one six to ten thousand before turning right squawking thirteen.
  D That's correct three one four, time one nine one nine and advise push back this frequency.
12.29 PW314 Three fourteen's ready in sequence.
  T Three fourteen to position and hold sixteen.
  PW314 Three fourteen.
12.30 T PW three one four you're cleared for take-off runway sixteen, departure frequency one nineteen eight when airborne.
  PW314 Three one four roger.
12.31 PW314 Calgary Departure it's Pacific Western three one four, runway heading out of forty-two hundred.
  D Three one four is in contact: you can proceed on course.
  PW314 Three one four on course.
12.33 L Cranbrook radio-Calgary.
  L Cranbrook's on.
  L I've got an inbound three one four from Calgary at two zero zero five.
  L Roger, Echo Hotel.
12.34:05 A Are you out there, my friend.
12.34:08 G Yes sir.
12.34:09 A Er - Five past the hour, Terry.
12.34:11 G OK. What's the time now, Ernie?
12.34:13 A Er - Half an hour from now. Thirty just coming up to thirty five.
12.34:16 G OK. Thank you. Everything's working good out here.
12.34:20 A That's good.
12.34:23 G Can't see you from here, so I don't know whether you're good looking or not.
12.34:27 A Oh - take my word for it - I'm good looking.
12.34:29 G 0.K.
12.36 D PW three one four can call enroute one thirty three three, good day.
  PW314 Calgary Enroute, it's Pacific Western three one four on one thirty three three out of sixteen thousand for two zero zero.
  E Three one four's radar.
12.38 PW314 Three fourteen!s level two zero zero.
  E Roger three fourteen you can come up on one twenty-five two.
12.42 PW314 Calgary, it's Pacific Western three fourteen request descent.
  E Three fourteen cleared to the Cranbrook Airport for the approach, the altimeter at Cranbrook two nine seven seven, advise leaving one eight oh.
  PW314 OK, cleared to the Cranbrook Airport for an approach, nine seven seven and, ah, will call at one eight.
12.43 E Three fourteen.
12.44 PW314 Three fourteen's out of one eight thousand.
  E Roger advise time down this frequency.
12.46 PW314 Cranbrook Radio. Pacific Western three one four-er-your frequency.
  A Three one four, Cranbrook, go ahead.
  PW314 Yes, sir. We have the approach. You can go ahead with your numbers.
  A OK - I'll give you the numbers - the wind at one five zero degrees magnetic at six Cranbrook altimeter two nine - two nine seven six and there's no reported traffic.
12.47 PW314 OK. We check-two nine seven six.
  A And three one four. The-er-sweeper on the runway-er-has been for some time trying to keep the snow back for you. I'll let you know what it's like as soon as I get a progress from him. And the visibility - not much change in the weather - maybe visibility about three quarters of a mile in snow.
  PW314 Three fourteen checks.
12.55 PW314 We're gonna crash -
  G Where the hell did he come from?
  A I don't know Terry, but he sure didn't call after his first call.
  L Cranbrook radio, Calgary.
  L Cranbrook.
  L I've got an inbound for you.
  L Standby a second please, I got an emergency.
  L Oh. OK.
20.04 L Cranbrook Radio, Calgary, are you still busy?
  L Aoah, OK go ahead now Calgary.
  L OK, first off, where's PW three thirty, three fourteen now, have you any idea
  L Yeah, he's the emergency he's crashed and is burning off the end of the runway.

Back to Last Words