Air Canada jet veers off Montreal taxiway; no one hurt
An Air Canada Boeing 737 Max carrying 156 passengers veered off a taxiway into grass after landing at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport on Thursday, July 9, 2026. No injuries were reported, all 162 people on board reached the terminal safely, and the north runway reopened before 10 p.m. after temporary delays.
Key Takeaways
- Flight AC774 from Los Angeles landed normally around 4 p.m. before exiting the taxiway on Runway 6 Left.
- None of the 156 passengers or six crew members were hurt; everyone was bused to the terminal by 7:45 p.m.
- Montreal's north runway closed for hours, causing 30- to 60-minute flight delays but no cancellations tied to the incident.
- Air Canada and the Transportation Safety Board of Canada have both opened investigations.
What happened to Air Canada Flight AC774 in Montreal?
Air Canada Flight AC774 arrived from Los Angeles at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport on Thursday afternoon, according to CBC News. The Boeing 737 Max 8, with 156 passengers and six crew on board, touched down normally on Runway 6 Left just before 4 p.m.
After landing, the jet exited the taxiway and came to rest in the grass. Air Canada said the aircraft "sustained a runway excursion and travelled through the grass when exiting the main runway." Flight-tracking data cited by the Montreal Gazette suggests the plane turned onto Taxiway B1 but overshot a sharp right turn onto parallel Taxiway B.
Were any passengers or crew injured?
No injuries were reported among the 162 people on board. Air Canada confirmed by 7:45 p.m. that all passengers and crew had disembarked and were transported to the terminal by bus.
Passenger Barbara Edelston Peterson told CBC the plane landed in pouring rain and that the moments afterward felt terrifying. She said passengers waited roughly three hours aboard the aircraft before deplaning, though she praised the crew as calm and professional throughout the ordeal.
How did the incident affect Montreal airport operations?
The airport's emergency coordination centre was activated, and the north runway — one of two at the facility — was temporarily closed to allow a safe evacuation. Nav Canada implemented traffic management measures, including a brief ground stop and subsequent flow restrictions.
A Trudeau airport spokesperson told CBC that domestic and international flights faced delays of about 30 minutes, while U.S.-bound flights saw delays of 45 minutes to an hour. CBC reported no flight cancellations directly caused by the incident, and the runway reopened just before 10 p.m.
What happens next in the investigation?
Air Canada said it is towing the aircraft to a hangar for a full inspection and launching a detailed investigation with relevant authorities. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada confirmed it has opened its own probe into why the jet left the paved surface.
For travelers, scary landings can spike acute stress even when everyone walks away unhurt — a reminder that recovery and resilience practices matter after high-adrenaline events. Passengers with connections through Montreal should continue checking schedules, as knock-on delays may linger.