Tenerife Airport Disaster

```
Pls ask before editing, even if your a admin

```

Pan Am 1736 Clipper Victor

KLM 4805, "Rijn"

Tenerife Airport disaster, which happened to be in 1977 / 3/ 27, involving the two jumbo jets, Boeing 747, the most iconic jet in the history. This terrible aviation disaster destroyed both aircrafts, with 583 people on board as also. This aviation disaster was recorded as "Most tragic aviation incidents in history", also changed many things that happens to be after the disaster.

## Original Routes and Plane info.

Original routes were pretty simple. The two planes were each "Pan Am 1736" and "KLM 4805". These two planes were heading to the same destination: the Canary Island's capital, Las Palmas. The Pan Am plane flew from Los Angeles, picked up more passengers and luggage on New York, and were heading to the Canaries. the KLM plane took off from Netherlands Schiphol and were also heading to the Canaries.

Pan Am 1736, Clipper Victor, were the ever first Boeing 747 to enter service. The plane was going to the museum after retirement, but sadly disintegrated in the impact at the disaster. The plane had its nickname "Clipper Victor", after the "Victory" and had its tail number N746PA. The KLM plane, was named "Rijn" (Rhine) with its tail number PH-BUF. KLM 4805 was one of the most important aircraft in KLM fleet. It was one of the 7 Boeing 747s that KLM bought for the first time.

## Crews and Terrorists

   At the day, in the KLM cockpit, sat the most experienced pilot in KLM royal Dutch airlines, which was Jacob Van Zanten. he had more than 11000 flying hours, and were highly respected from other pilots. In the Copilot seat, there sat Klass Meurs, who was a copilot that was learning from Van Zanten. It was Van Zanten who gave him flying license for the Boeing 747, and also he highly respected his captain. In the flight engineer seat, there was a person called Phillip. He was a flight engineer at the disaster, also the only person who sighted the signal of danger just before the collision.

However, in the Pan Am cockpit, the situation was a little different. In the captain's seat, there were Victor Grubbs. He was a very experienced flyer at Pan Am, and he became the pilot for the one of the first Pan Am's "Flight Cruse trip". The First officer was Robert Bragg, he was also very experienced pilot. The flight engineer was George, and he was also the main member.

## Diversion

After terrorist bombing in Las palmas airport's shop, the airport closed down, and all the planes coming to the airport are re-routed to the new airport called Los Rodeos airport, which was a small airport in Tenerife, half an hour away from Las Palmas. However, Los rodeos airport was a small airport with only 1 runway, and has a very small parking space. The Boeing 747 could land there, but was hard to park on the terminal.

At the past few hours, KLM 4805 arrived first, successfuly touching down, and ended up parking at the end of the ramp. Few minuites later, Pan Am arrived and parked beside three other airplanes, including KLM 4805. The terminal was so full, that Pan Am passengers couldnt get off the airplane. So they got to wait. However, on the KLM plane the passengers were all moved to the terminal since they arrived first. Captain Van Zanten decided to refuel while passenger boarding because their duty time was about to expire. KLM had recently made new laws that doesnt allow pilots to fly over their duty time. if they do, they will get huge penalties about it. KLM 4805's crews minds are raging. This got to be one of the main reasons for the collision.

## Flicker of disaster

Van Zanten decided to receive fuel more than 55 tons. It was enough for the whole route, so to the Las Palmas and Amsterdam at the same time. The refueling of the KLM plane took more than 2 hours. while then, the cloud bank started to drift down, shrouding the runway. That made the visibility to go down about 50 meters. While the refueling, the passenger boarding finished. The Pan Am plane had to wait in the fog more than 45 minuites until the KLM finishes refueling. This made the cloud even worse to see. The visibility was going down by the minute.

Pan Am's Captain Grubbs called to Van Zanten and asked whether refueling is finished or not. The reply was "35 Minuites, KLM out" and hung up. Pan Am's pilots were very frustrating - since they are ready for take off, but couldnt even taxi because of the selfish plane. All the other planes in the same ramp had squeezed pass the KLM and had taken off. The Pan Am was the only plane that got stuck behind the KLM. Captain Grubbs and Copilot Bragg decided to try the same thing that former planes had tried. They decided to squeeze past. However, the Boeing 747 was too big for squeezing. 12 meters were short, and they failed to squeeze past. There's no way but to wait.

## Collision and Death tolls

KLM 4805 finally finished refueling, and asked for startup clearances to the tower. The KLM was ordered to taxi down to the end of the runway, make a backtrack, and takeoff. Pan Am was ordered to fallow short distance away, since there was too many fog and even in the tower they were unable to see the planes. KLM 4805 reported just after they passed Charlie 4, and Pan Am 1736 was ordered to get off the runway in Charlie 3. By the time Pan Am plane was almost there at Charlie 3, the KLM plane finished backtracking and was ready for takeoff.

At this point, Pan Am plane mistakes the Charlie 3 and goes to Charlie 4. Charlie 3 was very high degree angle, and the Boeing 747 physically couldnt go there. However, Charlie 4 was only 45 degree angle, and it was much easier than Charlie 3. The two planes were in the same radio, and they could hear each other. Pan Am plane heard the tower ordering KLM plane and telling them what to do next. These are the actual recordings recorded in the CVR (cockpit Voice Recorder)

Signals for aircraft pilots and copilots
 KLM= KLM

**KLM-1: Uh... KLM 48..05 is now ready for takeoff. we are waiting uh... for ATC clearance.**

**TWR 1: Uh KLM 4805 you are cleared for papa beacon. climb to maintain flight level 90, right turn after takeoff. proceed heading 040 until intercepting 325 radial to las Palmas VOR.**

**KLM-2: Ah roger sir, cleared for papa beacon. climb to maintain flight level 90, right turn out 040 until intercepting 325 we're now (at takeoff)**

**KLM-1: We Gaan. (lets go)**

The tower responds "Ok...... Stand by for takeoff i will call you". At this point, Pan Am's Copilot notices something weird, and shouts at his transponder, "WE ARE STILL TAXING DOWN THE RUNWAY CLIPPER 1736!". However, the thing is that Tower was still pressing the mic. That caused a shrilling noise in the KLM cockpit, as 2 people were talking at the radio in same time. The KLM was unable to hear except for the word "OK."

Van Zanten pushed his throttle, and the KLM plane began to roll down the runway over 300 kilometers per hour.

 File:Tenerife-deadliest-air-crash-1280x720.jpg
At the last moment, Pan Am notices the lost jumbo jet in the fog.

**CAM-1: God damn that son of bitch is coming!!!**

**CAM-2: Get OFF!!!**

KLM collides with Pan Am, and for the result, KLM plane flew for another 150 meters and slamming to the ground, The 55 tons of fuel ignite, killing everyone on board. However, on Pan Am, Many people died because of the fire trucks didnt come to them. After the collision, the Tower control pressed the emergency button. all the fire trucks in Los Rodeos were put in to find the missing plane. They got to the KLM first, and as everyone imagined, everyone was dead. 55 tons of fuel burned up all the bodies. However, Pan Am, with many survivors still, couldnt get any help. the fire trucks were only at the KLM, and it took more than 20 minutes to find out that KLM and Pan Am plane collided. However, it was too late. only 63 people survived the fire hell. 583 people died, making the worst air disaster in history of aviation.

Fun Fact: All the pilots from Pan Am 1736 survived the disaster, because KLM's fourth engine sliced right behind their door and crashed into the second floor lounge. the cockpit was un-hit and they survived the disaster.

In a documentary by NOVA! Copilot Bragg said "There were 28 people in the upstairs lounge, there was no lounge, just a big hole"

## Research and Aftermath

There were many investigators put in to the research, but they didnt make up well. Spanish government were running by the military, and they didnt allow Dutch and American investigators to investigate. The Spanish military made a article about blaming the KLM 4805's captain Van Zanten for takeoff without permission. They said "cleared" doesnt mean for a takeoff run, but it meant a route after takeoff is cleared. They blamed KLM's Van Zanten for executing the takeoff run when he wasn't even sure about it.

However, KLM made their own report, and blamed the Pan Am's captain Grubbs for not turning off at the right taxiway. They were supposed to turn off in C3 but they went to C4. KLM did their own experiment and found out that Boeing 747 were able to turn off the taxiway C3. KLM also blamed the Tower for their Spanish accent and not proper English, also not using proper aviation words. Also, later discovered, many systems were not working in the airport at the day of the disaster.

Boeing, on the other hand, did their own experiment and they said its physically impossible to turn off at the C3, unlike the KLM's report.

There are lot of things that changed after the Tenerife airport disaster. Many safety protocols and checks were added, also more higher pilot training and tightened the pilot test level. The one of the main reasons of Van Zanten's mistake was "Flight simulation effect", the experts say. its a side effect for training flight simulators, which can lead the pilots to think their flight is not serious, which can cost their lives.

## Movies and Documentaries

There are lot of movies and Documentaries also dramas related to this disaster. The most famous is a drama called "Crash of the Century". This Documentary Drama, was produced and released by "Mayday Aircrash Investigation". This documentary drama was S3E0, and became very popular. Crash of the Century shows us about the heavy investigation about the air disaster, along with many other interviews from actual survivors.