On this day on history…

It’s these sad events that some good may come out of. CRM was brought about and hopefully a large accident like this never happens again.

dme

It’s these sad events that some good may come out of. CRM was brought about and hopefully a large accident like this never happens again.

dme

but for a few more meters!

but for a few more meters!

Air Disaster Vol1
Macarthur Job

Fatefully, PanAm’s protesting transmission conflicted with the controller’s instruction to KLM. Instead of the words “standby for takeoff … I will call you,” all the KLM crew heard after the controller’s first “OK” was a squeal resulting from the two simultaneous transmissions on the same frequency.

The exchange that followed between the Tower and the PanAm 747 was however audible on the KLM flightdeck. But by this time the KLM 747 was 20 seconds into its takeoff run. With Captain van Zanten and First Officer Meurs both concentrating fully on the takeoff itself, only Flight Engineer Schreuder took in the possible significance of the two transmissions. “Did he not clear the runway then?” he asked the pilots.

The captain, giving all his attention to the takeoff, did not take in the engineer’s question either.

“What did you say?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Did he not clear the runway – that Pan American?” Schreuder repeated.

“Yes, he did,” both pilots answered emphatically.

The KLM takeoff continued.

At this stage, the PanAm Boeing, its crew having missed the intersection for Taxiway 3 which the Tower had directed them to take, and unaware of what the other 747 was doing, was still on the runway, approaching Taxiway 4.

Captain Grubbs, still uneasy about occupying the runway in such poor visibility with the KLM aircraft’s takeoff obviously imminent, was keen to be out of its way as soon as possible.

“Let’s get the hell right out of here,” he remarked to his crew:

“Yeah … he’s anxious, isn’t he?” Bragg agreed.

“After he’s held us up for all this time,” enjoined Warns, “Now he’s in a rush.”

A few seconds later, the PanAm crew caught sight of lights that were materialising through the fog directly ahead. Hazy at first, they seemed for a long moment to be stationary. But as they continued to brighten, it quickly became obvious they were approaching fast!

Grubbs stared through the windscreen in stunned disbelief. “There he is … look at him!” he cried out. “Goddamn … that son-of-a-bitch is coming!” Desperately pushing all four throttles wide open, he attempted to swing the Boeing 747 off the runway to the left.

“Get off! Get off! Get off!” Bragg yelled frantically as he saw the other aircraft’s nose begin to rise into the takeoff attitude.

Aboard the hurtling Dutch aircraft, First Officer Meurs’ eyes were fixed on his steadily rising airspeed indicator. “V1!” he finally called.

At the same moment, van Zanten sighted the PanAm 747 slewing, across the runway ahead of them. Instinctively – there was no hope of stopping – he hauled back on the control column to try and lift over the American. But too suddenly – the tail bumper struck the runway, emitting a shower of metallic sparks.

But lift the KLM aircraft did – just before reaching the other – only it was too late. Its nose leg cleared the PanAm fuselage, but at 140 knots the main undercarriage slammed into it, slicing off the fuselage top as the No 4 engine demolished the hump just behind the flightdeck, and both aircraft exploded into flames.

Air Disaster Vol1
Macarthur Job

Fatefully, PanAm’s protesting transmission conflicted with the controller’s instruction to KLM. Instead of the words “standby for takeoff … I will call you,” all the KLM crew heard after the controller’s first “OK” was a squeal resulting from the two simultaneous transmissions on the same frequency.

The exchange that followed between the Tower and the PanAm 747 was however audible on the KLM flightdeck. But by this time the KLM 747 was 20 seconds into its takeoff run. With Captain van Zanten and First Officer Meurs both concentrating fully on the takeoff itself, only Flight Engineer Schreuder took in the possible significance of the two transmissions. “Did he not clear the runway then?” he asked the pilots.

The captain, giving all his attention to the takeoff, did not take in the engineer’s question either.

“What did you say?” he asked over his shoulder.

“Did he not clear the runway – that Pan American?” Schreuder repeated.

“Yes, he did,” both pilots answered emphatically.

The KLM takeoff continued.

At this stage, the PanAm Boeing, its crew having missed the intersection for Taxiway 3 which the Tower had directed them to take, and unaware of what the other 747 was doing, was still on the runway, approaching Taxiway 4.

Captain Grubbs, still uneasy about occupying the runway in such poor visibility with the KLM aircraft’s takeoff obviously imminent, was keen to be out of its way as soon as possible.

“Let’s get the hell right out of here,” he remarked to his crew:

“Yeah … he’s anxious, isn’t he?” Bragg agreed.

“After he’s held us up for all this time,” enjoined Warns, “Now he’s in a rush.”

A few seconds later, the PanAm crew caught sight of lights that were materialising through the fog directly ahead. Hazy at first, they seemed for a long moment to be stationary. But as they continued to brighten, it quickly became obvious they were approaching fast!

Grubbs stared through the windscreen in stunned disbelief. “There he is … look at him!” he cried out. “Goddamn … that son-of-a-bitch is coming!” Desperately pushing all four throttles wide open, he attempted to swing the Boeing 747 off the runway to the left.

“Get off! Get off! Get off!” Bragg yelled frantically as he saw the other aircraft’s nose begin to rise into the takeoff attitude.

Aboard the hurtling Dutch aircraft, First Officer Meurs’ eyes were fixed on his steadily rising airspeed indicator. “V1!” he finally called.

At the same moment, van Zanten sighted the PanAm 747 slewing, across the runway ahead of them. Instinctively – there was no hope of stopping – he hauled back on the control column to try and lift over the American. But too suddenly – the tail bumper struck the runway, emitting a shower of metallic sparks.

But lift the KLM aircraft did – just before reaching the other – only it was too late. Its nose leg cleared the PanAm fuselage, but at 140 knots the main undercarriage slammed into it, slicing off the fuselage top as the No 4 engine demolished the hump just behind the flightdeck, and both aircraft exploded into flames.

It’s one of those “do you remember where you were when” moments in time, I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday

It’s one of those “do you remember where you were when” moments in time, I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday

To add to my report:

After the collision, First Officer Bragg reached up to pull the fire handles for the engines, but found the overhead was gone.
In fact, the right wing of the KLM 747 had sliced through the famous hump and taken off the top part of it.

Meanwhile, an evacuation had begun on the lowerdeck, or rather what was left of it.
One survivor recalls seeing a passenger is a torn white suit who after bringing one passenger to safety lept back into the wreckage, past a wall of flames to answer the cries of another trapped passenger. He was never seen again.
A stewardess recalls climbing up to the flight deck and helping Bragg pull an unconcious Captain Grubb to safety.

To this day, there are still bits of the Pan Am jet, Clipper Victor, N736PA. An aircraft that 7 years prior had operated the worlds first revenue 747 flight.

This haunting photo was taken by a passenger aboard KLM Flight 4805 from the ground at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife less than an hour before the accident. The KLM Boeing 747 involved in the accident can be seen in the foreground, while the Pan Am 747 involved can be seen in the background.
How the film of that camera survived the ensuing inferno of the KLM jet, I struggle to comprehend.

To add to my report:

After the collision, First Officer Bragg reached up to pull the fire handles for the engines, but found the overhead was gone.
In fact, the right wing of the KLM 747 had sliced through the famous hump and taken off the top part of it.

Meanwhile, an evacuation had begun on the lowerdeck, or rather what was left of it.
One survivor recalls seeing a passenger is a torn white suit who after bringing one passenger to safety lept back into the wreckage, past a wall of flames to answer the cries of another trapped passenger. He was never seen again.
A stewardess recalls climbing up to the flight deck and helping Bragg pull an unconcious Captain Grubb to safety.

To this day, there are still bits of the Pan Am jet, Clipper Victor, N736PA. An aircraft that 7 years prior had operated the worlds first revenue 747 flight.

This haunting photo was taken by a passenger aboard KLM Flight 4805 from the ground at Los Rodeos Airport, Tenerife less than an hour before the accident. The KLM Boeing 747 involved in the accident can be seen in the foreground, while the Pan Am 747 involved can be seen in the background.
How the film of that camera survived the ensuing inferno of the KLM jet, I struggle to comprehend.

Both planes were there because of a bomb threat at their intended destination of Gran Canaria.

The Pan Am plane was carrying many senior citizens from the USA to join a cruise liner in the Canaries. The survivor toll may have been higher had the PAX load been of a more youthful nature. Many of the passengers simply made no effort to escape the burning wreckage according to a stewardess on board.

An added irony is:

The Pan Am plane was ready to depart before the KLM. But as the KLM blocked then only what out of the area the Pan Am was parked in, they had to wait an additional 30 minutes.

Both planes were there because of a bomb threat at their intended destination of Gran Canaria.

The Pan Am plane was carrying many senior citizens from the USA to join a cruise liner in the Canaries. The survivor toll may have been higher had the PAX load been of a more youthful nature. Many of the passengers simply made no effort to escape the burning wreckage according to a stewardess on board.

An added irony is:

The Pan Am plane was ready to depart before the KLM. But as the KLM blocked then only what out of the area the Pan Am was parked in, they had to wait an additional 30 minutes.

Thanks guys, always wondered why they were there. Lets just hope nothing like this ever happerns again.

Thanks guys, always wondered why they were there. Lets just hope nothing like this ever happerns again.

Both planes were there because of a bomb threat at their intended destination of Gran Canaria.

The Pan Am plane was carrying many senior citizens from the USA to join a cruise liner in the Canaries. The survivor toll may have been higher had the PAX load been of a more youthful nature. Many of the passengers simply made no effort to escape the burning wreckage according to a stewardess on board.

Both planes were there because of a bomb threat at their intended destination of Gran Canaria.

The Pan Am plane was carrying many senior citizens from the USA to join a cruise liner in the Canaries. The survivor toll may have been higher had the PAX load been of a more youthful nature. Many of the passengers simply made no effort to escape the burning wreckage according to a stewardess on board.

Indeed very very sad, a good recollection there Sandy 🙂

Indeed very very sad, a good recollection there Sandy 🙂

I thought the PanAm 747 was their on a cruise charter?

I thought the PanAm 747 was their on a cruise charter?