Both Engines Died Over the Ocean — The Longest Glide in Airline History

On 24 August 2001, an Air Transat Airbus A330 ran completely out of fuel over the middle of the Atlantic — losing both engines and becoming the largest glider in aviation history. With 306 people on board and no thrust, Captain Robert Piché and First Officer Dirk de Jager glided the airliner roughly 120 kilometres (about 75 miles) through the night and landed it, engineless, at Lajes Air Base in the Azores. This is the full, minute-by-minute story: the hidden fuel leak from a mismatched maintenance part, the fateful cross-feed that pumped fuel overboard, both engines flaming out, the silent glide, the S-turns to lose altitude, and the hard, blown-tire landing that saved every soul aboard. ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 Both engines dead over the ocean 2:30 A routine overnight flight to Lisbon 6:00 The hidden fuel leak 11:00 The fateful cross-feed decision 16:00 Both engines flame out 20:00 The largest glider in history 25:00 The S-turns and the approach 28:00 The landing at Lajes — everyone survives 30:00 Investigation & the lessons ▶ More air disasters & survival stories on Black Box Down — subscribe and hit the bell.