Originally Posted by Gordon Fraser
Total loss at Toronto of Air Canada DC8-63, CF-TIW on Jul 5 1970 was caused by aircraft dropping after accidental deployment of spoilers by First Officer at 50ft. The Captain reacted immediately (within 1/2 sec) by retracting spoilers and opening throttles but owing to 6/7 sec spoolup time, the aircraft hit the runway very hard, causing outside starboard pod to be torn off, causing fire and loss of control.
I read somewhere that this terrible accident was made all the worse by the fact that had the inadvertant spoiler deployment been made at any other time than when it was the crash would have been averted. A second or two sooner and the go-around would have been completed successfully; a second or two later and the aircraft would probably landed hard but stayed on the ground.