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A look back at the Air France crash at Toronto’s Pearson airport

TORONTO – The horrific crash of the Asiana Boeing 777 at the San Francisco International Airport Saturday afternoon is reminiscent of the Air France crash at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on August 2, 2005.

Flight 358 left Paris, France with 309 people on board, including 12 crew members. The plane was an Airbus A340 and the flight went smooth until its arrival in Toronto.

Severe weather had forced Pearson to cancel 540 departing and arriving flights that day. Most small aircrafts were diverted to nearby airports in Ottawa, Hamilton, London, and Winnipeg. Larger planes were being sent to Montreal as well as Syracuse and Buffalo in New York.

When Flight 358 came in for its landing it overshot the end of the runway and ended up in a small ravine. A fire broke out and the plane was evacuated.

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All passengers and crew survived the accident with only 12 injuries reported.

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After a lengthy investigation the Transportation Safety Board concluded the crew misjudged how much runway was left and was moving too fast when it attempted to land.

The TSB recommended safety changes be put in place to bring Canadian runway standards more in line with those around the world.

Below: A list of the Top 10 deadliest plane crashes in Canada, courtesy The Canadian Press.

Dec. 12, 1985: Arrow Air Flight 1285 DC-8 crashes near Gander, N.L., killing all 256 aboard.

Sept. 2, 1998: Swissair Flight 111 MD-11 crashes off Nova Scotia, killing all 229 aboard.

Nov. 29, 1963: Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 831 DC-8 crashes near Ste-Therese-de-Blainville, Que., killing all 118 aboard.

July 5, 1970: Air Canada Flight 621 DC-8 crashes near Toronto, killing all 109 aboard.

Aug. 11, 1957: Maritime Central Airways DC-4 crashes near Issoudun, Que., killing all 79 aboard.

Dec. 9, 1956: Trans-Canada Air Lines Flight 810 Canadair North Star crashes near Chilliwack, B.C., killing all 62 aboard.

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July 8, 1965: Canadian Pacific Airlines Flight 21 DC-6 crashes near 100 Mile House, B.C., killing all 52 aboard.

Jan. 26, 1950: U.S. Air Force DC-4 crashes near Snag, Yukon, killing all 44 aboard.

Feb. 11, 1978: Pacific Western Airlines Flight 314 Boeing 737 crashes near Cranbook, B.C., killing four crew and 38 passengers.

April 8, 1954: Trans-Canada Airlines Canadair C-4 collides with RCAF Harvard over Moose Jaw, Sask., killing all 35 aboard and one on the ground.

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