Today in History – July 23: Director told parents their kids would not be in any danger before fatal on-set accident

An Air Canada flight ran out of fuel 12,000m above Manitoba on July 23, 1983.

The Boeing 767 had to drift to the nearest airstrip, which they believed to be an unoccupied Canadian Air Force base.

Instead it had been converted into a race track, and a race was being held that day.

With the engines off, spectators were taken completely by surprise when the jumbo jet landed on the unexpectedly crowded runway.

But the failure of the front landing gear meant the plane’s nose hit the runway, creating additional friction to slow it down.