Key Takeaways
- Air Canada Flight AC774 (Boeing 737 Max) landed normally from Los Angeles at Montréal‑Trudeau Airport but exited the taxiway onto grass after touchdown, causing a runway excursion.
- No injuries were reported among the 156 passengers and six crew members; all occupants were safely evacuated after a roughly three‑hour wait aboard the aircraft.
- Passenger Barbara Edelston Peterson described a frightening experience: heavy rain, a sudden smoke smell, and the sensation of “tumbling on the grass” with limited visibility from her window.
- The runway was temporarily closed, prompting Nav Canada to institute traffic‑management measures (ground stop, flow restrictions) that produced delays of 30 minutes for most flights and up to an hour for U.S.-bound services; the runway reopened shortly before 10 p.m.
- Air Canada will tow the aircraft to a hangar for a full inspection and has launched a detailed internal investigation, while the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) has opened its own probe to determine the cause.
- Weather conditions in the region were noted as an additional factor contributing to operational complexity and delays.
- Despite the incident, no flights were cancelled; travelers are advised to check updated schedules before heading to the airport.
On Thursday evening, officials at Montréal‑Trudeau International Airport warned of operational delays after an Air Canada aircraft experienced a runway excursion. Flight AC774, a Boeing 737 Max carrying 156 passengers and six crew, arrived from Los Angeles around 4 p.m. and touched down without incident. However, as the jet began to exit the main runway via the taxiway, it veered off the paved surface and travelled through the grassy area adjacent to the taxiway. Air Canada’s statement to CBC confirmed that the aircraft “sustained a runway excursion and travelled through the grass when exiting the main runway,” adding that no injuries were reported.
Passenger Barbara Edelston Peterson provided a vivid, first‑hand account of the ordeal during a live interview with CBC’s Ian Hanomansing. She said the weather was pouring rain at the time of landing, and she sensed something was wrong the moment the aircraft contacted the runway. “We were going very fast and suddenly there was a big smoke smell and the next thing I knew, we were tumbling on the grass,” Edelston Peterson recalled. Smoke, dirt, and grass filled the view from her window, obscuring the outside world. She described feeling as though the plane might explode, noting that she and fellow passengers remained onboard for about three hours before being able to disembark. Throughout the delay, she praised the flight crew as a “class act” for their calm and professional handling of the situation.
After the aircraft came to a stop, Air Canada coordinated the safe evacuation of all occupants. By 7:45 p.m., the airline confirmed that every passenger and crew member had disembarked and been transported to the terminal via buses. The airline announced that the Boeing 737 Max would be towed to a hangar for a comprehensive inspection and that a detailed internal investigation had been launched to ascertain the factors that led to the excursion. Air Canada emphasized its commitment to working with relevant authorities to understand what happened and to prevent similar occurrences.
The temporary closure of one of Montréal‑Trudeau’s two runways triggered immediate operational repercussions. A spokesperson for the airport explained that the shutdown caused average delays of roughly 30 minutes for domestic and international flights, with flights destined for the United States experiencing longer holdups of 45 minutes to an hour. Despite the delays, no flights were cancelled. Nav Canada, the organization responsible for Canada’s civil air navigation, implemented traffic‑management measures—including a temporary ground stop and subsequent flow restrictions—to safely manage the altered arrival and departure patterns. Nav Canada also noted that prevailing weather conditions in the region added to the operational complexity, compounding the delays caused by the runway closure.
The runway was reopened just before 10 p.m., allowing normal traffic to resume. Nevertheless, airport officials urged travelers to verify their flight schedules before heading to the airport, as residual delays could persist as the system settled back into its regular flow.
In parallel with Air Canada’s internal review, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) confirmed that it had opened an investigation into the incident. A TSB spokesperson told CBC that investigators were being dispatched to the scene to gather information, examine evidence, and assess the circumstances surrounding the runway excursion. The board’s involvement underscores the seriousness with which such events are treated, even when they result in no injuries.
Overall, the incident at Montréal‑Trudeau highlighted the interplay of aircraft handling, weather, and airport infrastructure. While the swift and orderly evacuation prevented harm, the disruption to flight schedules served as a reminder of how a single runway excursion can ripple through an airport’s operations, prompting coordinated responses from airlines, air navigation services, and safety investigators. Travelers are advised to stay informed through official channels and to allow extra time for potential delays when flying through the affected airport.