Product: NOVA: The Deadliest Plane Crash (1974)
Rating: 5.0
Has aviation learned anything from this disaster?
On the afternoon of March 27, 1977, the world's worst aircraft disaster occurred at Los Rodeos airport on Tenerife Island in the Spanish territorial Canary Island chain. It involved 2 of the largest passenger airliners in production, a pair of Boeing 747 jumbo jets, and the horrific accident claimed 583 lives.Beginning from a point about 4 hours preceding the tragedy here, both aircraft were originally destined for Gran Canary Island to the east of Tenerife. A bomb threat and the follow on detonation of a device forced the closure of the airport here causing all aircraft to divert to Tenerife. With only 2 air traffic controllers on duty on Sunday and them not accustomed to handling the high influx of airplanes that were en route to their location, the situation worsened by the minute. Having only one runway and with ramp space and taxiway points getting clogged, it was becoming a veritable traffic jam at the airport.With all inbound aircraft later parked on the ground, the air traffic controllers had to be creative in devising ways to taxi planes to the runway for departure amidst the clutter that surrounded them. During this time period, low cloud cover encroached upon the airfield causing a thick fog which seriously limited visibility for everyone. Using an alternate but accepted method called `back taxiing', the controllers directed both 747's to enter the runway area to stage for takeoff.The KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight eventually reached the end of the runway where it turned completely around and waited for clearance to leave in their new direction. The Pan American flight was still traveling down the runway looking for the side taxiway the controllers told them to pull into to await their turn to depart. Both planes were now nose to nose separated only by several hundred yards of dense fog and no possible way of seeing each other.Devastating events soon unfolded with the KLM captain beginning his take off without clearance from the tower and the Pan American crew, finally finding their exit point from the runway, began to turn off but there just wasn't time to get clear. Traveling too fast to stop or veer, the KLM jet had to attempt a take off and it left the ground but collided with the top of the Pan American aircraft causing massive damage to each plane.Investigators from the United States, the Netherlands, and Spain worked hard to find the root causes of this tragedy and they eventually reached several conclusions. Although pilot error and low visibility were shown to be leading factors here, additional contributing elements were also examined.I'd like to say that aviation standards have progressed well in 30 years in learning from this catastrophe but statistics show otherwise. In closing out this program, experts relate that near misses (runway incursions) are still far too common nowadays. Even though technology has been created to improve safety measures in this regard, very few airports in the country actually have it in place for use. Here's hoping for a safer and more conscientious aviation environment in the near future.NOVA did some really fine work in this documentary in my opinion. The research done here looked very detailed and the presentation was excellent. For those who fly, don't fly, and everyone in-between, I recommend this program to all of you.