40 years since the plane crash near Gander Airport in Canada

December 12 marked the 40th anniversary of the plane crash near Gander Airport in northeastern Newfoundland, Canada, which at the time was the deadliest in history in terms of military casualties.

On that day in 1985, a Douglas DC-8-63CF passenger plane belonging to the American airline Arrow Air was operating charter flight MF1285R on the route Cairo–Cologne–Gander–Fort Campbell military base (Kentucky, USA). On board were 248 soldiers from the US Army's 101st Airborne Division, who were returning from service on the Sinai Peninsula as part of an international contingent monitoring compliance with the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.

The crew was led by experienced pilot John J. Griffin, who had logged over 7,000 flight hours. The crew consisted of eight people, five of whom were flight attendants.

Flight MF1285R arrived in Gander at 09:04 UTC. All that remained was to refuel and complete the last leg of the journey. At 10:15, the aircraft began its takeoff run. Eyewitnesses later testified that the Douglas somehow sluggishly took off from the runway and had difficulty gaining altitude. After climbing only a few dozen meters, it began to descend. Barely clearing the highway, the aircraft increased its pitch angle, then almost immediately crashed into the forest-covered ground and was completely destroyed. The airliner managed to cover approximately 1 km on its final flight. All 256 people on board were killed.

The investigation into the crash of flight MF1285R was conducted by the Canadian Air Transport Safety Board (CASB). It took almost three years to prepare the final report, and experts disagreed in their conclusions. Most believed that the plane crashed due to ice formation on the wing, as it had not been treated with a special liquid before takeoff. In addition, the crew incorrectly determined the takeoff weight of their aircraft. A minority adamantly defended the theory of an explosion on board, as the terrorist organization Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the crash shortly after it happened. Although unexploded mortar shells were found in the wreckage, most did not consider the evidence for the “explosion” theory to be convincing. As for the Islamists, their statement was seen as an attempt to boost their credibility within their community.

The American paratroopers were brought home in coffins by military transport planes, and a memorial was held at Fort Campbell.

The Gander disaster remains the most tragic to have occurred on Canadian soil. In terms of the number of military casualties, it has been surpassed by two Il-76 disasters that occurred in 2003 and 2018 in Iran and Algeria.