An in-flight fire off Nova Scotia
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Swissair Flight 111, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 flying from New York to Geneva on 2 September 1998, developed a fire hidden above the cockpit ceiling that spread through flammable insulation while the crew diverted towards Halifax. About 20 minutes after the pilots first noticed an unusual smell, the aircraft struck the Atlantic Ocean off Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, and all 229 people on board were killed.
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A wiring arc above the cockpit of Swissair Flight 111 set fire to flammable insulation as the MD-11 crossed Nova Scotia on its way from New York to Geneva in September 1998.
Published 17 Jan 2026