Zurich Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Atlantic Ocean Canada
Friday, January 14, 2011 6:55 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On January 14, 2011, at 0655 UTC, a Boeing 767-300, Canadian registration C-GHLQ, operating as Air Canada flight 878, from Toronto Canada to Zurich, Switzerland experienced a pitch excursion resulting in a loss of 300 feet while in cruise at 35000 feet over the North Atlantic ocean. Thirteen passengers and two flight attendants were injured. After determining the extent of the injuries, it was decided to continue to destination. The seatbelt sign had been selected on 41 minutes prior to the pitch excursion. Upon arrival in Zurich, seven passengers were sent to surrounding hospitals for further assessments and observation. The airplane was not damaged. This accident is being investigated by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. www.tsb.ca

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/14/2011
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 655
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Atlantic Ocean
Event State --
Event Country CANADA
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 550000n
Event Location Longitude 0290000w
Event Location Airport Zurich
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LZRH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3000
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 8
Injury Total None 88
Injury Total Serious 7
Injury Total All 15
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source TSB-C
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 1 2011 2:34PM
User who most recently changed record engb
Basic weather conditions --
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DCA11WA026
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model 767
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Air Canada
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State --
Operator Country CA
Operator Zip code --
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CYYZ
Departure City Toronto
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LZRH
Destination City Zurich
Destination State --
Destination Country SZ
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 24 2014 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record sedj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --