Thanks very much for this interview Dr. Skjenna. It is quite revealing. One of the victims was Cameron MacLeod from Liverpool, NS who was my best friend as a child. He was an incredible young man, one of the most popular kids throughout our school years - I was not the only kid who thought of him as their best friend. He was the son of very prominent parents, Dr. Lloyd and Marjorie MacLeod and was one of the most polite young men you'd ever meet. Incredible manners and decorum. As a teenager, he was fun and full of life. After high school, he worked for the Bank of Nova Scotia for a couple of years and bought a Honda 305 Super Hawk with his earnings and then an older Austin Healey 3000 which was his pride and joy, despite the challenges in keeping it running. Then he attended Acadia University to study Geology. I clearly remember him describing the Greenhouse Affect to me after his second or third year at Acadia - global temperatures are controlled by the CO2 concentration in the atmosphere. None of us had any idea of Global Warming at the time, but he understood the chemistry and physics that drive Global Warming as we are witnessing today. He had only been a graduate for year or two by the time he got on that flight. He'd already worked in far flung countries as an in oil exploration geologist. He had been in the North before, but someone told me he did not really like working in the Arctic's frigid cold, but it was an assignment so off he went. If I recall correctly, his Dad was in Camp Hill hosptial getting treatment for cancer on his fingers, a possible consequence of handling too many X-Rays with leaky machines and Cameron stopped by to see him on his way to the airport. His death was a real shock to his parents and siblings and I don't think they ever really got over it as he was such a special person. His funeral drew a large crowd from across the province, as he was a respected young man with more friends than you could count. At the time, I was working for Transport Canada as an internal auditor and one day I dropped by the Aircraft Accident Investigation office and one of the investigators took me aside and showed me some of the photographic evidence that was collected. He gave me an assessment of what may have happened. It was, as you noted, not the result of any physical problem with the Electra, but rather human error caused by the pilot. From what I recall, I was under the impression that the pilot was in a dazed state taking the plane down in a too steep approach and that the co-pilot and engineer were calling out for him to pull up but waited too long to take control of the controls to try and level out the plane. Was it because of his liver problem? Carbontetracholoride is certainly toxic so that is a possibility. Or was he having some other social or psychological problems? It is very disturbing that the Federal Government, who as you noted was 49% owner of Pan Arctic Oil and keen on Arctic oil and gas exploration, worked to delay and possible hinder the investigation so we'll never really know the actual cause of the pilots behaviour /actions - unless the case is re-opened and the records and surviving investigators and perhaps first officer and flight engineer are allowed to give their frank observations and what was the likely cause of this crash which took so many promising young lives. In the end, the exploration in the high Arctic came to naught, as it was too difficult and dangerous to drill and transport any oil produced in any case. I lived in Yellowknife for 6 years and participated in an exercise on how those responsible could possibly respond to an oil leak/spill in the Arctic Ocean as part of the Arctic Seas Strategy. The conclusion was that it would be next to impossible to stop a sub ice blowout and impossible to clean it up. The environmental risk is too high to even undertake oil and gas production in the Arctic Ocean. Thanks again for doing this interview and posting it for posterity. Don Scott
Thanks for your input. I am sorry to hear that you lost a friend - very tragic. All of us on the team were deeply effected by the loss of these young men. We human factors investigators consulted
A fabulous recounting of that tragedy Dr. Skjenna. I can see your intensity and emotion after all these years. From 1976-79, while working on an Adeco Heli-hoist Rig out of Rae Point, I had the privilege to fly on CF-PAK a few times until it was replaced by the PWA 737-200. Flying from YEG to CZRP over the Monument to flight 416, always brought a thoughtful silence of respect, to every northern resident and worker onboard.
My grandmother was a court stenographer in the NWT in the 70s and a lot of her paperwork and tapes made it into my father's basement after she passed. After he himself passed in 2022, I was helping my mother go through all of this and I came across a thick file on 'Panarctic'. This had copies of the accident report, pilot's autopsy report, exhibit reports, and all of the death certificates (as far as I could tell). I am sure this is all part of the public record but it just didn't feel right to dispose of it so I have it. This of course led me to your video.
I just came across this comment...and Wow. My father, was in this horrible crash. It is 50 years ago now that he passed away. I was only 4 Years old, I remember going to the funeral. What I would do to read what you have, but it, I know would probably take forever to copy. Thank you.
Missing our friend Howard Cazaly dearly. 50 years gone, as though it were yesterday. Our sweet, kind friend (#19). Love you to the moon and back, R and J pontin.
2023: I've flown on these with American Airlines when I was a kid. My father worked for American. Beautiful Aircraft. I loved them AND That Sound!. Thank You for this very detailed and personal accounting of this accident. Your personal history is most impressive and note worthy. Your empathetic comments regarding the people on board are very heart felt. And recounting your wife's return visit to the camera store. Best regards
Thanks for your kind comments. I often think about the young men and their families who suffered in this accident. By the way, my wife and I are celebrating our 62nd wedding anniversary so I was forgiven about the scene in the camera shop.
I was employed at Rae on a yard crew at the time of this accident. We were waiting for PAB to arrive, to unload, load the plane. Weather was cold but clear. Such a tragedy, everybody in camp was in shock. Felt so sorry for the families. We used PAK for while after losing this aircraft. Long time ago.
I was along with my buddy Steven the first men to find the crash site. Gordon Marr. And I helped carry the man out who later died e route to Edmonton. I knew the flight engineer as we used to fuel the planes together as I was for a time the Fuel Man for all flights. A very sad and tragic day. As a 19-20 year old I will never forget.
@@eliasasmar9123 hey Frenchmen. I remember you well. A long time past. Worked hard but also had much fun. I hope you are well and enjoying. After that night I lost track of many and thought that you were lost is the crash. So happy to hear I was wrong.
My dad was supposed to be a passenger on this flight, and was at the airport that day and missed the flight (I don't know the details). I believe it affected him profoundly though as he never spoke of it until he was in his 60's😢
@@Renda54 cool. I am 69 and did not speak of the crash until recently really. Thank goodness your dad missed the flight. We heard that one person did miss it when up on-site. High five to you and your dad. Take care. GM
Thank you, Gordon. My dad passed in 2019 and he just so randomly mentioned this to me about 10 years ago; I would imagine heart wrenching for all. I wish he would have had the opportunity to watch this documentary. I also wish after watching, I could have asked him more questions. All he ever mentioned was that he was drinking in the lounge and missed his flight and caught the next one, not being aware of the crash. I first watched the documentary about a year and a half ago and, it has left me wondering if he was the gentleman with alcohol in his kit, but I really don't know and he's not here to ask. I asked my mom if after she heard about the flight, how did she comprehend it, thinking dad was on it and she said that was back in the day before instant communication and was unaware of the crash until dad had called her, once he arrived, to let her know he wasn't on the flight. Dad would have been working as a Radio Tech. To be honest, it boggles my mind that he was supposed to be on the flight.
I recall this day and night very well as if it happened yesterday. In fact we were dispatched to ward off bears initially before these EM crews arrived.
I recall waiting for this plane to arrive in my fork lift and then we got the call. We all headed out to the ocean and sure enough found the crash site. I recall one buddy falling in the ocean water and pulling him out. He was a floor layer I think and his name was Allen I believe.
My grandfather Juhlke was supposed to be on this flight but he got sick and lost his best friend Darrell Patton. My grams is telling us the story so thought I'd look something up
My condolences on your loss. May I please ask for your friend's name? I am trying to compile a listing of people on the flight. Thank you.@@joanadler2304
