Teneriffe Runway Collision

A bomb exploding at Las Palmas caused diversions to the less well equiped Los Rodeos field. Here follows the transcripts of both aircraft, you can make your mind up on what happened, bear in mind visibility was down to 900mtrs

27 March 1977 KLM mark PH-BUF Pan Am mark N736PA

[1700:43.5 Ground control to PAA] Clipper 1736 cleared taxi into the runway following the 747 from KLM

[1700:51.1 PAA 1st officer] Clipper 1736

[1700:19.5 GRD] 7 1 2 stand by. Break clipper 1 7 3 6 leave the runway (dah) 3 1 (dah) on to ((y)our) left

[1700:28.6 PAA 1st officer] I am sorry say again please

[1701:31.6 GRD] Leave the runway the third one (your) left

[1701:37.7 PAA 1st officer] Okay taxi down the runway and ah leave the runway the first intersection on the left is that correct

[1701:45.6 GRD] Negative the third one the third one and change 119.7

[1701:51.1 PAA 1st officer] OK the first one and 119.7 changing

[1701:54.2 PAA Captain (cockpit voice recorder)] We can hold here if he'd let us

[1701:57.0 PAA 1st officer] Teneriffe, the clipper 1736

[1702:01.8 Approach control] Clipper 1736 , Tenerife

[1702:03.6 PAA 1st officer] Ah we were instructed to contact you and also to taxi down the runway is that correct

[1702:08.4 Approach] Affirmative taxi into the runway and ah leave the runway third third to your left third

[1702:16.4 PAA 1st officer] Third to the left OK (There is some confusion in the Pan Am cockpit. The Captain still thought the controller had said "first" The 1st officer says he'll ask him again. He doesn't get the chance immediately, because approach control is seeing off the sunjet flight 282)

[1702:49.8 Approach] KLM 4805 how many taxiway ah did you pass?

[1702:55.6 KLM 1st officer] I think we just passed charlie four now

[1702:59.9 Approach] OK ... at the end of the runway make 180 and report ah ready ah for ATC clearance (The PAA crew are discussing which taxiway he can mean, and so not giving much attention to the traffic between KLM and approach control at this point)

[1703:14.2 KLM 1st officer] is ah centreline lighting available for 4805

[1703:19.8 Approach] Standby I don't think so sir I don't think so standby I will check

[1703:22.9 KLM 1st officer] OK

[1703:25.0 Approach] They are working on them anyway we'll check it

[1703:29.3 PAA 1st officer] Would you confirm you want the clipper 1736 to turn left at the third intersection ("third" drawn out and emphasised)

[1703:36.4 Approach] The third one sir 1 2 3 third third one

[1703:39.2 PAA 1st officer] Very good thank you

[1703:47.6 Approach] ...er 7136 report leaving runway

[1703:55.0 PAA 1st officer] clipper 1736 (the PAA crew finish taxiing checks)

[1704:58.2 Approach] ...M 8705 and clipper 17 ..36 for your information the centreline lighting is out of service

[1705:05.8 KLM 1st officer] I copy that

[1705:07.7 PAA 1st officer] Clipper 1736 (Now the PAA crew start looking for the taxiway,The record of their conversation has had no one counting them off as they pass, and now they seem to be trying to identify which is which by the angle from the runway)

[1705:44.8 KLM 1st officer] Uh the KLM 4805 is now ready for takeoff and...uh we're waiting for our ATC clearance

[1705:53.4 Approach] KLM 4805 uh you are cleared to the papa beacon climb to and maintain niner zero... right turn after takeoff proceed with heading 040 until intercepting the 325 radial from Las Palmas VOR

[1706:09.6 KLM 1st officer] Ah roger sir we are cleared to ah the papa beacon flight level niner zero right turn out 040 until intercepting the 325 and we're now (ah taking off) (at take off)

[1706:18.5 Approach] ...K

[1706:19.3 PAA 1st officer] No uh...

[1706:20.3 PAA 1st officer] And we're still taxiing down the runway the clipper 1736

[1706:25.6 Approach] Roger papa alpha 1736 report the runway clear

[1706:29.6 PAA 1st officer] OK we'll report when we're clear

[1706:32.1 Approach] Thankyou

There now follows a transcript of the PAA cockpit voice recorder for the eighteen seconds left before the two aircraft collide C-1 is the Captain C-2 is the 1st officer C-3 is the Flight Engineer

[1706:32.1 C-1] Let's get the **** right here...Get the **** out of here

[1706:34.9 C-2] Yeah he's anxious isn't he

[1706:36.2 C-3] Yeah after he held us up for an hour and a half that ****

[1706:38.4 C-2] Yeah that ****

[1706:39.8 C-3] Now he's in a rush

[1706:40.6 C-1] There he is ... Look at him **** that...that ****,s coming

[1706:45.9 C-2] Get off get off get off

[1706:48.7 Sound of take off warning horn.Sound of approaching engines]
[1706:50.1 Sound of impact]

This is the transcript of the KLM cockpit voice recorder , from 1706:32.43 until the moment of impact. Abbreviations follow the same pattern

[1706:32.4 C-?] Is he not clear then?

[1706:34.1 C-1] What did you say?

[1706:34.7 C-?] Is he not clear that Pan American?

[1706:35.7 C-1] Oh yes

[1706:43.5 C-2] Vee one

[1706:47.4 C-1] Oh ****

[1706:49.3 Sound of impact]
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