[1] The Boeing 737, registered C-GQPW, taxied from the gate at Calgary International Airport at 7:35 AM and proceeded to take off on runway 34, carrying five crew members and 114 passengers.

At 7:42 AM, a loud popping sound was heard 20 seconds into the takeoff run.

The Canadian Aviation Safety Board (CASB) determined that an uncontained failure of the left engine thirteenth stage compressor disc had occurred.

Debris from the engine punctured a fuel cell, resulting in the fire.

This incident was similar to the cause of the British Airtours Flight 28M disaster that claimed 55 lives the following year on August 22, 1985.