What REALLY Caused the Tenerife Airport Disaster?! The WORST Aviation Accident in History

The video script begins with a dramatic introduction to the Tenerife airport disaster, mentioning two fully loaded Boeing 747s preparing for takeoff amidst thick fog. The narrator, Petter, teases the audience with the promise of revealing how an unthinkable event could occur and encourages viewers to stay until the end. The video is sponsored by Curiosity Stream, and the story unfolds with the recount of Pan Am Flight 1736's journey, starting from Los Angeles and heading towards Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, with a brief stop in New York. The flight is filled with elderly passengers ready for a cruise. The Canary Islands' political climate is also discussed, with a group called the MPAIAC fighting for independence. The crew of Pan Am Flight 1736 is introduced, highlighting their experience, followed by the preparation of KLM Flight 4805 in Amsterdam, with its crew and flight details. The script sets the stage for the tragic events that were to unfold.

The narrative progresses with the unfolding of a bomb threat at Las Palmas Airport, which leads to the closure of the airport and a diversion of all flights to Los Rodeos Airport in Tenerife. The KLM flight 4805 lands first, followed by Pan Am Flight 1736. The situation at Los Rodeos is tense as the airport begins to fill with diverted flights, and the conditions are described, highlighting the airport's poor safety record and the meteorological challenges it faces due to its location and altitude. The KLM crew decides to let passengers disembark due to the extended delay, while the Pan Am crew keeps their passengers on board. The video also discusses the airport's lack of ground radar and the decision to build a new airport in the south of Tenerife, which was not yet operational due to political disputes.

As the situation at Tenerife's Los Rodeos Airport develops, the KLM flight decides to use the ground delay to refuel, despite the ongoing delay. Captain Van Zanten's decision to fuel up is aimed at minimizing the time spent on the ground at Las Palmas. However, this decision also increases the aircraft's weight, requiring a higher speed and longer distance for takeoff. The Pan Am flight, unable to maneuver past the refueling KLM flight, must wait for the KLM to finish before they can depart. Tensions rise as the KLM crew is anxious about the potential for exceeding new Dutch flight time limitations, which could result in legal consequences. The KLM flight's refueling process is described, emphasizing the gamble the crew is taking on the delay's duration.

The KLM aircraft completes refueling, and the crew prepares for departure. There's a notable exception, as one passenger, Mrs. Robina Monique van Lanschot, has decided to stay behind in Tenerife with her boyfriend. As the KLM crew undergoes their pre-start checklist, there's a palpable sense of urgency, with Captain Van Zanten inadvertently speeding up the process. The video also discusses the potential distraction caused by thinking ahead to the flight to Las Palmas and the return to Amsterdam. Miscommunication begins to play a role as the KLM crew misunderstands the taxi instructions, and the approach controller's clarification adds to the confusion. The narrative builds up to the point where the KLM flight is about to start its takeoff roll, with the Pan Am flight still on the runway.

The KLM crew receives their departure clearance, but a miscommunication occurs. The First Officer's request for takeoff and en-route clearance is granted, but only after he has started reading back the instructions. Captain Van Zanten, under the impression that the runway is clear, begins the takeoff roll. Meanwhile, the Pan Am crew, still taxiing on the runway, reports their position to air traffic control. Their message, along with the controller's response, interferes with each other, leading to a misunderstanding in the KLM cockpit. The KLM crew, thinking the runway is clear, does not abort the takeoff, even when the flight engineer questions whether the Pan Am flight has cleared the runway. The stage is set for a potential disaster as the KLM aircraft accelerates down the runway.

The KLM aircraft, under the command of Captain Jacob van Zanten, collides with the Pan Am 747 that was still on the runway. The collision is catastrophic, with the KLM's number four engine slicing into the Pan Am's first-class section and the left wing severing the tail. The KLM aircraft continues for a short distance before crashing down, immediately engulfed in flames, resulting in the loss of all 248 souls on board. In the Pan Am aircraft, chaos ensues, with many passengers unable to comprehend the sudden impact. The Pan Am crew survives the initial collision, but the damage is extensive, and the aircraft is severely crippled. A few passengers manage to escape through breaches in the aircraft's structure, but only 61 of the 396 people on board survive the crash. The air traffic controller, unaware of the tragedy due to the lack of ground radar and poor visibility, only dispatches the rescue team after another aircraft reports seeing flames on the runway. The firefighters, hindered by the fog, eventually reach the scene and battle the intense fires, focusing on the Pan Am aircraft where survivors remain.

An immediate investigation follows the tragic accident, with the recovery of both aircraft's cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders providing crucial evidence. The Spanish final report apportions most of the blame to KLM Captain Jacob van Zanten for taking off without clearance and not aborting the takeoff despite indications that the Pan Am aircraft was still on the runway. The Dutch investigation team, however, delves deeper into the reasons behind the captain's decisions, considering sub-optimal teamwork, potential distractions, and psychological factors. The inquiry also examines the power dynamics within the KLM cockpit and the First Officer's ability to challenge the captain's decisions. The accident leads to significant changes in aviation practices, emphasizing crew resource management, unambiguous communication, clear taxiway markings, and the importance of ground radar. The industry learns from this tragedy, leading to improved safety measures and protocols to prevent such disasters in the future.