"Pieces of metal were flying around.
Crawling through the aisle, I managed to free myself."
A 72-year-old woman was relieved to be able to tell the tale. For 583 others, this wasn't the case. How could two Jumbo Jets collide and leave the world in shock? Read on to discover the importance of clear communication in aviation.
On the morning of March 27, 1977, a KLM flight and a Pan Am flight were heading to Gran Canaria, a popular holiday destination. Both planes, titled Boeing 747s, also known as Jumbo Jets, were filled with passengers.
Due to a terrorist threat, air traffic control ordered the pilots to divert to Tenerife, about 100 km away. Upon arrival at the small airport of Los Rodeos in Tenerife, it was already quite busy.
Planes with destination Gran Canaria were parked on the taxiway, hoping for a quick departure once Gran Canaria was safe again.
A series of fatal choices
The diversion to another airport caused hours of delay, leading to stress and frustration among the crews and air traffic controllers. The Los Rodeos airport was shrouded in dense fog that day, severely limiting visibility and complicating the situation.
While the KLM crew was lined up on the runway, ready to take off towards Gran Canaria, they were convinced they had received clearance from air traffic control. However, what they didn't know was that the control tower had only signaled to wait before taking off.
The damage was done
Meanwhile, the Pan Am aircraft was taxiing on the misty runway. As they searched for the correct taxiway to exit the runway, they were unaware of the danger approaching.
For 39 seconds, the 200-ton KLM plane accelerated for take-off. The co-pilot once again reported to air traffic control, "we are at take-off."
The tower believed the plane was now in take-off position and replied, "okay...", but before the air traffic controller could complete his sentence, the Pan Am cockpit called in to report that they were still taxiing on the runway.
The second part of the air traffic controller's sentence, "okay, standby for takeoff", was turned into noise in the KLM cockpit. They only heard "okay", leading the pilot to confidently accelerate down the runway.
"Damn it... look, that idiot is coming straight at us."
Captain Victor Grubbs, Pan Am Flight 1736
As the KLM plane hurtled down the runway, the Pan Am crew saw the headlights of the other plane emerging from the fog. The result was a catastrophic explosion. The two planes collided and burst into flames.
Miraculously, 61 passengers from the Pan Am flight managed to escape the inferno. Unfortunately, no one managed to free themselves alive from the wreck of the KLM plane. The Tenerife airport disaster remains a heart-wrenching reminder of human errors and the consequences of unclear communication in aviation.
Conclusion
This disaster led to significant changes in the industry, including:
- Clearer communication protocols to avoid confusion and ambiguity.
- Improved taxiway markings to optimize visibility.
- The use of ground radar to track aircraft throughout the airport.
Let us never forget that this dark day emphasized the importance of clear communication in aviation.
Communication = key
By: Rico Valkenborgh | October 26, 2023
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