Swissair Flight 111 fact quest answer sheet

Use the following online article to answer the questions: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/swissair-flight-111

Questions and answers:

Q1: How many people were flying on board Swissair Flight 111, on September 2, 1998?

A1: 229 (215 passengers plus 14 crew).

Q2: Why was Swissair Flight 111 dubbed “UN Shuttle”?

A2: This regularly scheduled flight was popular with United Nations officials, researchers and scientists.

Q3: Some passengers of Swissair Flight 111 on September 2, 1998 were high-profile. Name two and what they were known for.

A3:

• Jonathan Mann was a pioneer in the global campaign against AIDS
• Mary Lou Clements-Mann was a world-renowned AIDS researcher and vaccine scientist
• Pierre Babolat was head of the French sports equipment maker Babolat
• Pierce Gerety was a senior official with the UN Refugee Agency

Q4: At 10:14 p.m. Atlantic Time (AT), the pilots of Swissair Flight 111 sent a “pan pan” message to air traffic controllers in Moncton, New Brunswick. What does “pan pan” mean in aviation language?

A4: A “pan pan” message indicates that the pilots believe there is a serious problem but one that is not a full emergency.

Q5: At 10:22 p.m. Swissair Flight 111 turned south, heading toward St. Margarets Bay, Nova Scotia. Why did it changed direction at that time?

A5: Shortly after departure from New York, the flight’s fuel tank was almost full. The plane was heavier than what the manufacturer suggested was the maximum weight to land safely, so the pilots needed to dump fuel.

Q6: Swissair Flight 111 crashed into the ocean about five nautical miles southwest of Peggy’s Cove. What time did the plane crash?

A6: At 10:31 p.m., witnesses reported hearing a sound resembling a loud thunderclap.

Q7: Search operations started immediately after the crash. What group of people were first on the scene?

A7: First on the scene were private fishing boats and pleasure craft from the surrounding villages, many of them volunteer members of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Q8: Which other government organisations soon joined the search efforts?

A8: (Local residents) were soon joined by government vessels and helicopters from the Royal Canadian Navy, Coast Guard, Fisheries and the RCMP.

Q9: Name the four techniques used by medical officers to identify the remains of the 229 fatalities.

A9: A combination of dental records, DNA, fingerprints and forensic radiography.

Q10: What is the name of the Canadian submarine that located the Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder?

A10: HMCS Okanagan.

Q11: Retrieving pieces of the airplane at the bottom of the sea took about 15 months. Where were the salvaged airplane parts taken to be cleaned and sorted?

A11: Salvaged material was brought to hangers in CFB Shearwater.

Q12: Who was in charge of the investigation of the Swissair Flight 111 plane crash?

A12: The investigation was led by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB).

Q13: How long was the investigation?

A13: The investigation took four-and-a-half years to complete.

Q14: In April 1999, the government of Nova Scotia announced plans for two permanent memorial sites to commemorate the victims of Swissair Flight 111. Name the locations of the two permanent memorials.

A14: One (memorial) is adjacent to Peggy’s Cove, overlooking the crash site. A second, larger memorial sits across St. Margarets Bay in the village of Bayswater.

Q15: Based on information from the article and other sources, match the correct locations on each map.