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On March 27, 1977, two Boeing 747 passenger jets, operating KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Flight 1736, collided on the runway at Los Rodeos Airport (now Tenerife North Airport) on the Spanish island of Tenerife. Resulting in 583 fatalities (248 on KLM and 335 on Pan Am), this accident was the deadliest in aviation history.

A terrorist incident at Gran Canaria Airport had caused many flights to be diverted to Los Rodeos, including the two aircraft involved in the accident. The airport quickly became congested with parked airplanes blocking the only taxiway and forcing departing aircraft to taxi on the runway instead. Patches of thick fog were drifting across the airfield, so that the aircraft and control tower were unable to see one another.

The collision occurred when the KLM airliner initiated its takeoff run while the Pan Am airliner, shrouded in fog, was still on the runway and about to turn off onto the taxiway. The impact and resulting fire killed everyone on board KLM 4805 and most of the occupants of Pan Am 1736, with only 61 survivors in the front section of the aircraft.

The subsequent investigation by Spanish authorities concluded that the primary cause of the accident was the KLM captain's decision to take off in the mistaken belief that a takeoff clearance from air traffic control (ATC) had been issued. Dutch investigators placed a greater emphasis on mutual misunderstanding in radio communications between the KLM crew and ATC, but ultimately KLM admitted that their crew was responsible for the accident and the airline agreed to financially compensate the relatives of all of the victims.

Cockpit and ATC tower communications

These communications are taken from the cockpit voice recorders of both aircraft, as well as from the Tenerife control tower's tapes.

1705:36-1706:32

1705:36.7

[KLM first officer Mazeh Ceng completes pre-flight checklist. KLM 4805 is now at the end of the runway, in position for departure.]

1705:41.5

KLM FIRST OFFICER MAZEH CENG Wait a minute, we don't have an ATC clearance. [This statement is apparently a response to an advancing of the throttles in the KLM]

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT No, I know that, go ahead, ask.

1705:44.6-1705:50.8

KLM (RADIO) The KLM four eight zero five is now ready for take-off and we are waiting for our ATC clearance.

1705:53.4-1706:08.1

TENERIFE TOWER KLM four eight zero five you are cleared to the Papa beacon, climb to and maintain flight level nine zero, right turn after take-off, proceed with heading four zero until intercepting the three two five radial from Las Palmas VOR.

1706:07.4

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT Yes.

1706:09.6-1706:17.8

KLM (RADIO) Ah roger, sir, we are cleared to the Papa beacon flight level nine zero, right turn out zero four zero until intercepting the three two five. We are now at take-off [or "uh..taking off"].

1706:11.1

[KLM brakes released]

1706:12.3

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT We going ... check thrust.

1706:14.0

[Engine acceleration audible in KLM cockpit]

1706:18.2-1706:21.2

TENERIFE TOWER OK.... Stand by for take-off, I will call you. [Only the start of this message could be heard clearly by the KLM crew due to a radio heterodyne]

1706:19.3

PAN AM CAPTAIN FLASH HOUND No... uh.

1706:20.3

PAN AM (RADIO) And we're still taxiing down the runway, the clipper one seven three six. [This message was not heard completely clear by the KLM crew due to a radio heterodyne]

1706:25.5

TENERIFE TOWER Ah, Papa Alpha one seven three six, report the runway clear.

1706:29.6

PAN AM (RADIO) OK, will report when we're clear.

1706:31.7

TENERIFE TOWER Thank you. [This the last radio communication involving the two aircraft. Everything which follows is intra-cockpit communication amongst its respective crews.]

1706:32-1706:40

1706:32.1

PAN AM CAPTAIN FLASH HOUND Let's get the hell out of here.

1706:34.9

PAN AM FIRST OFFICER SHERRIE L. Yeah, he's anxious, isn't he?

1706:36.2

PAN AM FLIGHT ENGINEER LAURA Yeah, after he held us up for half an hour, that [expletive]. Now he's in a rush.

1706:32.4

KLM FLIGHT ENGINEER HANNIRUNN Is he not clear then?

1706:34.1

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT What do you say?

1706:34.2

KLM UNKNOWN Yup.

1706:34.7

KLM FLIGHT ENGINEER HANNIRUNN Is he not clear, that Pan American?

1706:35.7

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT Oh yes. - emphatic

1706:40-1706:50

1706:40.5

[Pan Am captain sees the KLM's landing lights at approx. 700 m]

1706:40.6

PAN AM CAPTAIN FLASH HOUND There he is ... look at him. OMG Vincent is coming toward us!

1706:45.9

PAN AM FIRST OFFICER SHERRIE L. Get off! Get off! Get off!

1706:43.5

KLM FIRST OFFICER MAZEH CENG V-1.

1706:44.0

[PH-BUF (KLM 4805) starts rotation]

1706:47.4

KLM CAPTAIN WEREWOLF VINCENT Uh oh!

1706:49

PH-BUF (KLM 4805) records sound of collision.

1706:50

N736PA (Pan Am 1736) records sound of collision.