The Convent Crash, also known as the Orléans air disaster and Villa St. Louis disaster, occurred on May 15, 1956, after a CF-100 fighter jet crashed into Villa St. Louis, a convent in the community of Orleans, Ontario, Canada. The two pilots were killed in the crash, along with 13 people in the building: 11 members of the Grey Nuns, a civilian servant, and the chaplain, a retired naval padre.[1]
An Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck
Accident
Date
15 May 1956 (1956-05-15)
Summary
Aircraft crashed into building. Cause undetermined.
At 10:37 p.m. May 15, 1956, two CF-100s were launched from their base at RCAF Station Uplands (located south of Ottawa) to identify an unknown aircraft heading towards Montreal. The plane was identified as a RCAF North Star flying from Resolute Bay to Dorval Airport. The two planes climbed to 33,000 feet (10,000 m) to practice interception techniques and burn off excess fuel before returning to base.
One of the aircraft returned to base, but the other remained airborne longer to burn off more excess fuel. The cause has never been officially determined, but it is thought that an oxygen failure caused the crew to pass out.[2] The plane descended at a speed of nearly 680 miles per hour (1,090 km/h) and crashed into the Villa St. Louis.
Impactedit
At the time the plane crashed many of the occupants of the building were asleep. The three-storey, seventy-room building was run by the Grey Nuns. The two crewmen of the plane were killed instantly upon impact with the building. Then the fuel of the plane ignited and a fire ensued. Some of the occupants of the building jumped from windows. Others remained trapped in the building frantically trying to open windows. Victims unable to escape their rooms died of smoke inhalation. The fire was extinguished in the early hours of the next day.[3]
Convent Crash memorial
Legacyedit
A memorial 20-foot (6.1 m) cross adorned with a model CF-101 Voodoo fighter aircraft, surrounded by 15 stones taken from the rubble of Villa St-Louis is dedicated to the memory of the fifteen victims of the Orléans Aviation Disaster. The memorial was erected behind Villa St-Louis on May 13, 2009, by a group of Orléans veterans and members of the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa.[1]
A ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of Villa St-Louis disaster at the Residence Saint-Louis long term care facility which was built on the same site as the old Villa St-Louis. The ceremony was organized by three former members of the RCAF in co-operation with the Sisters of Charity who run the Residence Saint-Louis and the Orléans Legion.[2]
Referencesedit
^ ab. National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials. Canadian Department of National Defence. 2008-04-16. Archived from the original on 2014-05-20. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
^ abSherwin, Fred (2008-04-16). . Orleans Online. Archived from the original on 20 May 2014. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
^"Jet Crash at Villa St. Louis". Ottawa through time from the Andrews-Newton Photographs. City of Ottawa Archives. Retrieved 2011-11-23.
convent, crash, also, known, orléans, disaster, villa, louis, disaster, occurred, 1956, after, fighter, crashed, into, villa, louis, convent, community, orleans, ontario, canada, pilots, were, killed, crash, along, with, people, building, members, grey, nuns, . The Convent Crash also known as the Orleans air disaster and Villa St Louis disaster occurred on May 15 1956 after a CF 100 fighter jet crashed into Villa St Louis a convent in the community of Orleans Ontario Canada The two pilots were killed in the crash along with 13 people in the building 11 members of the Grey Nuns a civilian servant and the chaplain a retired naval padre 1 An Avro Canada CF 100 CanuckAccidentDate15 May 1956 1956 05 15 SummaryAircraft crashed into building Cause undetermined Total fatalities15AircraftAircraft typeAvro Canada CF 100 CanuckOperatorRoyal Canadian Air ForceFlight originRCAF Station UplandsDestinationRCAF Station UplandsOccupants2Crew2Fatalities2Ground casualtiesGround fatalities13 Contents 1 Events 2 Impact 3 Legacy 4 ReferencesEvents editAt 10 37 p m May 15 1956 two CF 100s were launched from their base at RCAF Station Uplands located south of Ottawa to identify an unknown aircraft heading towards Montreal The plane was identified as a RCAF North Star flying from Resolute Bay to Dorval Airport The two planes climbed to 33 000 feet 10 000 m to practice interception techniques and burn off excess fuel before returning to base One of the aircraft returned to base but the other remained airborne longer to burn off more excess fuel The cause has never been officially determined but it is thought that an oxygen failure caused the crew to pass out 2 The plane descended at a speed of nearly 680 miles per hour 1 090 km h and crashed into the Villa St Louis Impact editAt the time the plane crashed many of the occupants of the building were asleep The three storey seventy room building was run by the Grey Nuns The two crewmen of the plane were killed instantly upon impact with the building Then the fuel of the plane ignited and a fire ensued Some of the occupants of the building jumped from windows Others remained trapped in the building frantically trying to open windows Victims unable to escape their rooms died of smoke inhalation The fire was extinguished in the early hours of the next day 3 nbsp Convent Crash memorialLegacy editA memorial 20 foot 6 1 m cross adorned with a model CF 101 Voodoo fighter aircraft surrounded by 15 stones taken from the rubble of Villa St Louis is dedicated to the memory of the fifteen victims of the Orleans Aviation Disaster The memorial was erected behind Villa St Louis on May 13 2009 by a group of Orleans veterans and members of the Sisters of Charity of Ottawa 1 A ceremony marked the 50th anniversary of Villa St Louis disaster at the Residence Saint Louis long term care facility which was built on the same site as the old Villa St Louis The ceremony was organized by three former members of the RCAF in co operation with the Sisters of Charity who run the Residence Saint Louis and the Orleans Legion 2 References edit a b Orleans Aviation Disaster Memorial National Inventory of Canadian Military Memorials Canadian Department of National Defence 2008 04 16 Archived from the original on 2014 05 20 Retrieved 20 May 2014 a b Sherwin Fred 2008 04 16 Orleans Aviation Disaster 50th anniversary Orleans Online Archived from the original on 20 May 2014 Retrieved 20 May 2014 Jet Crash at Villa St Louis Ottawa through time from the Andrews Newton Photographs City of Ottawa Archives Retrieved 2011 11 23 45 29 00 N 75 32 45 W 45 4833 N 75 5458 W 45 4833 75 5458 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Convent Crash amp oldid 1210177975, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
