A great Yukon story from 1971...
Dec 16, 2020, 5:11 am
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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A great Yukon story from 1971...
A Yukon story from November 7, 1971: The day a CP Air passenger jet flying into Whitehorse, saved a small plane with 4 young Yukoners in it. Trapped in a snow storm, running out of fuel, and unable to find the airport.
"On the cool morning of November 7th, 1971, a Cessna 172 aircraft took off from the Whitehorse airport. Four young people on board were going on a sight-seeing tour of Carcross and Tagish. That tour took on dramatic proportions when a snowstorm moved in.
Pilot Doug Phillips was at the controls. With him were passengers Red and Shirley Lewis and Doug Young. The only thing Phillips could see was Big Thing Mountain sticking up through the clouds. He radioed the Whitehorse tower, and though able to communicate with the plane, air traffic control could not help him find the airport.
Phillips was told to continue circling using the mountain as a point of reference, and hopefully the weather would clear. He was also told how to prepare for a crash landing. Phillips and his three passengers circled, watching the fuel gage moving toward empty.
Just before dark, a CP Air flight from Vancouver approached, heading for Whitehorse. Captain Ron Wood began picking up the communication between Phillips and the tower. Captain Wood told Phillips to keep circling. The 737 landed in Whitehorse and dropped off the passengers, then circled back to attempt a rescue mission. Captain Wood and first officer, Brian McMahon took off in the snowstorm in search of the tiny Cessna.
Through the snow storm, they spotted the plane circling near Tagish. They asked Phillips how fast he could fly. About 100 miles an hour was the reply. The slowest the jet could travel was 140. The Cessna got behind the jet and followed its lights. When the CP jet got too far ahead, Wood circled around, overtook the Cessna and continued leading it again toward Whitehorse. This was done four times. Finally, the big jet dipped beneath the clouds. Phillips followed.
Down through the snowstorm they plunged. The jet could be of no more assistance. As they came through the snowstorm, a glorious sight suddenly greeted the four in the Cessna: the Whitehorse airport laid straight ahead. When they touched down, more than five hours after taking off, the fuel gauge read ... Empty.
Truly a remarkable bit of luck, and a lot of courage on behalf of the Cessna pilot, Doug Phillips, and Captain Ron Wood of CPAir.
A CKRW Yukon Nugget by Les McLaughlin.
"On the cool morning of November 7th, 1971, a Cessna 172 aircraft took off from the Whitehorse airport. Four young people on board were going on a sight-seeing tour of Carcross and Tagish. That tour took on dramatic proportions when a snowstorm moved in.
Pilot Doug Phillips was at the controls. With him were passengers Red and Shirley Lewis and Doug Young. The only thing Phillips could see was Big Thing Mountain sticking up through the clouds. He radioed the Whitehorse tower, and though able to communicate with the plane, air traffic control could not help him find the airport.
Phillips was told to continue circling using the mountain as a point of reference, and hopefully the weather would clear. He was also told how to prepare for a crash landing. Phillips and his three passengers circled, watching the fuel gage moving toward empty.
Just before dark, a CP Air flight from Vancouver approached, heading for Whitehorse. Captain Ron Wood began picking up the communication between Phillips and the tower. Captain Wood told Phillips to keep circling. The 737 landed in Whitehorse and dropped off the passengers, then circled back to attempt a rescue mission. Captain Wood and first officer, Brian McMahon took off in the snowstorm in search of the tiny Cessna.
Through the snow storm, they spotted the plane circling near Tagish. They asked Phillips how fast he could fly. About 100 miles an hour was the reply. The slowest the jet could travel was 140. The Cessna got behind the jet and followed its lights. When the CP jet got too far ahead, Wood circled around, overtook the Cessna and continued leading it again toward Whitehorse. This was done four times. Finally, the big jet dipped beneath the clouds. Phillips followed.
Down through the snowstorm they plunged. The jet could be of no more assistance. As they came through the snowstorm, a glorious sight suddenly greeted the four in the Cessna: the Whitehorse airport laid straight ahead. When they touched down, more than five hours after taking off, the fuel gauge read ... Empty.
Truly a remarkable bit of luck, and a lot of courage on behalf of the Cessna pilot, Doug Phillips, and Captain Ron Wood of CPAir.
A CKRW Yukon Nugget by Les McLaughlin.
Dec 21, 2020, 7:25 am
#3
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Join Date: Feb 2004
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Thanks for sharing! I almost feel like there should be some sort of defunct airline forum to have these nuggets posted!