The world turns vivid, strange and philosophical for one plane crash survivor

‘Though all must travel through the dark side, we must always keep the sunny side in view.’

In 1971, the Canadian filmmakers Martin Duckworth and Pat Crawley set out to shoot a scene centred around a small airplane in flight, piloted by the Canadian stunt pilot Ross Harold Wanamaker. The proceedings turned tragic, however, when the plane, carrying Wanamaker and Crawley, spiralled out of control and crashed, leaving Wanamaker dead and Crawley seriously injured. The resulting short documentary Accident (1973) captures the crash as filmed by Duckworth, who was on the ground with a camera, as well as Crawley’s experience in the months that followed. Recovering after the crash, Crawley finds himself in what he describes as a perpetually ‘stoned’ state – with philosophical thoughts buzzing in his head, and a newfound acceptance of the inevitability of death.