Flight 797
Flight 797, registration C-FTLU, was an Air Canada international scheduled passenger flight from Houston to Toronto, Ontario on June 2, 1983, with a stop in Dallas-Ft. Worth before continuing to Toronto. Donald Cameron was the captain and and Claude Ouimet was the first officer. While flying over Louisville, Kentucky, an in-flight fire began in the rear lavatory of the McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32.Cameron and Ouimet were forced to make an emergency landing at the Greater Cincinnati Airport, located in Boone County, Kentucky. During the evacuation, 23 passengers died from smoke inhalation and a flash fire that started when the airplane's doors were opened.
It should be noted that Flight 797 carried two respected members of their professions.
Curtis Mathes was the president of the company that bore his name. His company was established in 1899 as a furniture maker and later entered the hi-fidelity audio and television field. It's slogan went like this:
The most expensive television in America, and darn well worth it!
Stan Rogers was a Canadian folk singer with a legendary reputation in his home country. He was famous for songs like Mary Ellen Carter, Song of the Candle, and Barrett's Privateers. He was going home on Flight 797 after attending the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. He died in the fire at the age of 33.
Amazingly, there were no fatalities among the entire crew.