Madrid runway disaster
Overview of Madrid–Barajas Airport, the site of the disaster. | |
Accident | |
---|---|
Date | 7 December 1983 |
Summary | Runway incursion due to inadequate signs and markings |
Site | Madrid–Barajas Airport |
Total fatalities | 93 |
Total survivors | 42 |
First aircraft | |
The Iberia Boeing 727-256 involved in the crash, at Madrid, 1981 | |
Type | Boeing 727-256 Adv. |
Name | Jumila |
Operator | Iberia |
Registration | EC-CFJ |
Flight origin | Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD) |
Destination | Roma–Fiumicino Airport (FCO/LIRF) |
Passengers | 84 |
Crew | 9 |
Fatalities | 51 |
Survivors | 42 |
Second aircraft | |
Aviaco DC-9-32 EC-CGQ, sister-ship to the accident aircraft. | |
Type | McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32 |
Name | Vasco Núñez de Balboa |
Operator | Aviaco |
Registration | EC-CGS |
Flight origin | Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD/LEMD) |
Destination | Santander Airport (SDR/LEXJ) |
Passengers | 37 |
Crew | 5 |
Fatalities | 42 |
Survivors | 0 |
The Madrid runway disaster was the collision on 7 December 1983 of two aircraft on the ground at Madrid–Barajas Airport. A departing Iberia Boeing 727 struck an Aviaco McDonnell Douglas DC-9, causing the deaths of 93 passengers and crew.
Crash
On 7 December 1983, a Boeing 727 of Iberia (Spain's state airline) registered EC-CFJ, operating Iberia Flight 350, a scheduled flight to Rome's Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport, was cleared for take-off from Madrid-Barajas Airport's Runway 01 in conditions of thick fog.[1][2] At the same time, a DC-9 of Aviaco registered EC-CGS, operating Aviaco Flight 134, was taxiing to the end of the same runway for take-off bound for Santander Airport.[3] As the Boeing 727 rolled along the runway, the crew of the DC-9 accidentally made a wrong turn in the fog and taxied their aircraft onto the runway, into the path of the 727. The crew of the 727 saw the DC-9 and attempted to avoid the collision by rotating their aircraft for lift-off, however the 727 had not reached flying speed and its rear fuselage struck the DC-9.[2][3] Both aircraft caught fire and were destroyed; all 42 people on board the DC-9 were killed, while 51 (50 passengers, 1 crew member) of the 93 on board the Boeing 727 were killed.[1][4] Among those killed in the DC-9 were Mexican actress Fanny Cano and South African pianist Marc Raubenheimer.
Investigation
Investigators found that the Boeing 727 and DC-9 had collided due to the poor visibility at the airport, as well as inadequate signs and markings, which led to the DC-9 entering the runway without clearance as the Boeing 727 was taking off.[1]
See also
- 1990 Wayne County Airport runway collision, another fatal runway incursion involving a Boeing 727 and a DC-9.
- Linate Airport disaster, a runway collision in Italy killing 118 people.
- Tenerife airport disaster, another collision of two aircraft at a Spanish airport in fog and the worst aircraft accident in history in terms of loss-of-life
- Coincidentally, this accident occurred just 10 days following another air crash near Madrid, killing 181 people.