What happened
On 10 August, the aircraft CF-MCF, a charter flight, departed London, England, destined for Toronto, Canada. The flight plan included scheduled refueling stops in Keflavik, Iceland, and Goose Bay, Labrador. The flight was carrying a total of 79 people, consisting of 6 crew members and 73 passengers, which included two infants.
Following a brief stop in Keflavik on 11 August, the aircraft continued its journey toward North America. During the flight, the crew updated their intentions at 1320 GMT, stating they would bypass Goose Bay to fly directly to Montreal. The aircraft passed over several waypoints, including Seven Islands and the Quebec Radio Range, ahead of its scheduled arrival times.
The final communication from the aircraft occurred at 1810 GMT, when the Quebec Radio Range Station instructed the crew to contact Montreal Range for clearance near Rougemont. Shortly after this transmission, the aircraft entered a thunderstorm area while cruising at 6,000 feet. The plane subsequently lost control and entered a spin. The aircraft struck the ground 7 km west of Issoudun in a 70-degree nose-down attitude at a speed of 200 knots, causing the airframe to disintegrate. There were 79 fatalities.
Findings
Investigations determined that the aircraft encountered severe turbulence while flying through a cumulonimbus cloud. This weather event initiated a rapid sequence of events that led to the total loss of control and the subsequent high-speed impact with the terrain.